Loss of a Leader
by SilvorMoon
Summary: Sequel to Dragon Master. A rash of mysterious deaths has broken out in Kanto, one that might lead to the downfall of the Pokemon League, unless a group of determined Apprentice Gym Leaders can find the true killer.
1. Stage One A Meeting of Minds

**_Notes:_** The following takes place some three years after my series, "Dragon Master." The purpose of this chapter is primarily to reintroduce all the characters and concepts I used last time, and to lay the groundwork for what is to come. If you're new to the story, don't worry, it will all be explained. If you're not a newcomer, be patient because the plot is coming up. 

**Stage One - A Meeting of Minds**

**By: SilvorMoon**

The afternoon sun beamed down on Violet City. Its light played off the silver-white hair of a young girl, a trainer by her garb, who was busy looking after some small bird Pokemon. She was clearly not your run-of-the-mill trainer; she wore a sky-blue uniform that indicated she held some rank in the Gyms, and the point was emphasized by a row of sparkling silver badges that were proudly displayed along the hem of her jacket. Otherwise, she seemed a fairly ordinary young girl, fourteen years old, rather tall for her age, with a slender build. Her dramatic hair was bound in a sensible braid, and she wore long leather gloves and shoulder pads to protect herself from the birds she was dealing with. 

"Come on, Berry," she addressed one of the birds. "You can do it! Look, your brothers and sisters are already flying." 

"Nat, nat, natu!" the bird complained. 

"No, I will not believe you're afraid of heights," she told him sternly. 

"Natu! Nat, natu!" 

"No, I don't believe that, either. Come on. Just as high as my hand. If you do, I'll give you a berry." 

"Natu!" he chirped happily. He fluttered his short wings frantically, and with a great effort, raised himself into the air to perch on the girl's glove. 

"There! See, I knew you could do it," she said. She fished in a pouch and handed him one of his namesake fruits, which he gobbled happily. Immediately, four more Natus descended on her, all chattering favoritism and demanding to get some of whatever their brother was getting. 

The chaos was broken up by the arrival of a junior trainer, one of the ones who hung around the Gym battling the arriving hopefuls and seeking the local Gym Leader's instruction. He peered out into the garden, caught sight of the girl, and gave a small sigh of relief. 

"Aurora! There you are!" he said. "I've been looking for you all over the place! I thought you were supposed to be in the aviary this time of day." 

"Sorry, Merlin," she said. "Falkner asked me to give these little guys some special training. Did you need me for something?" 

The boy called Merlin shook his head. "No, but Falkner told me to find you. There's something he wants to talk to you about." 

"I'll be right there," Aurora replied. "Here. Put these away for me, would you, please?" 

She handed him the round green bird. He looked at it in surprise. It chirped at him. 

"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked. 

"Put them in the aviary. Just give them some berries - they'll follow you." 

At the sound of the word "berries," all the Natus began to chatter happily. Looking resigned to his fate, Merlin led a procession of chirping baby birds off to the aviary, while Aurora hurried back inside the Gym. 

Three years ago, Aurora had been living in Goldenrod City, looking after her parents' shop and dreaming of becoming a Gym Leader. Now she had chosen by Falkner the Birdkeeper to be his apprentice, future Leader of the Violet City Gym, and she loved her new life. Her new home was a cozy little room on the upper floors of the Gym, down the hall and around the corner from Falkner's own apartment and with easy access to the aviary. Her duties consisted of taking Falkner's instructions on Pokemon training and battling, helping him manage his correspondence, competing with the other trainers, and helping to care for the Birdkeeper's impressive bird collection. It helped that she had a natural affinity for Flying-type Pokemon and could understand their language. She also idolized Falkner and was thrilled to be sharing his work. Now she hurriedly tidied herself up (baby birds were not the cleanest creatures in the world) and went to see what her teacher wanted. 

Falkner was in his office, a comfortably breezy room with a large double-paneled window, through which messenger birds flew every hour of the day. There were tall shelves filled with reams of information on everything that was going on in the world, and a desk with dozens of pigeonholes where the most pertinent notices were kept. Even with Aurora helping him, Falkner had a full-time job keeping up with it all, for he was the Elite Four's official information gatherer, what Gym Leader Morty sometimes liked to call the spymaster. Even now, Falkner was shuffling through his papers, frowning a bit at whatever the latest news was. Then he looked up at Aurora and managed a smile. 

"Ah, there you are," he said. "I was hoping you hadn't wandered off too far." 

"Did you need me for something?" she asked. 

"As a matter of fact, I was hoping you could run a little errand for me," he replied. "Have a seat, and I'll see if I can explain. Have you been keeping up with the news from Kanto, lately?" 

"Not really," she said, blushing. "That is, I haven't heard anything that really caught my attention..." 

"Well, they haven't really been playing it up," said Falkner. "Quite the opposite - they've been keeping it as quiet as they can, by order of the Elite Four themselves. I just thought you might have come across something while you were doing my correspondence." 

"Is something bad happening?" 

"Bad enough to have Lance worried. There's been a spate of disappearances in Kanto - young trainers going out and never coming back alive. Some of them have vanished entirely. Others have their bodies turn up in unlikely places. Not unlikely as in the middle of nowhere - unlikely as in places you wouldn't think they could get without being noticed, as if someone wants them to be found. There's been a marked increase in the rate of Pokemon theft and abandonment. At least a dozen have been found in the last week alone, wandering the countryside, looking for their trainers." 

"That sounds like..." Aurora began, and stopped herself. The habit of long years was hard to break, and hearing of that kind of trouble made her think automatically of Team Rocket, despite the fact that their activity had been curtailed almost to the point of nonexistence for the last few years. 

"That's what a lot of people think," said Falkner, guessing her thoughts. "That's where you come in. If you don't mind, I'd like you to go and talk to Ember, and ask him what he knows about all this." 

"Why me?" asked Aurora. "Wouldn't someone else be better? I mean, Lance is his teacher, isn't he? Can't he ask him?" 

"Lance has tried. Ember takes his commitment to impartiality very seriously; he does everything in his power to keep Rocket business from mixing with Gym business. Every time Lance tries to ask him what he's doing with the Rockets, he shuts up like a Cloyster. That's why we're asking you to try." 

"I don't know," said Aurora, frowning. "Ember likes being hard to figure out, I think. Even if I am his friend, he still doesn't tell me a lot." 

"Still, you're the most likely candidate," said Falkner. "If he turns you down, we'll just have to blunder along without him, but I like knowing I've tried every avenue I could. So, what will it be, Fledgling? Will you help?" 

He had said the magic word. "Fledgling" was his private pet name for her. He only used it when he was particularly proud of her, particularly worried about her, or had something he wanted to convince her to do, and every time he used it, she melted. 

"I'll go," she said. 

He smiled. "Wonderful. I knew I could count on you. Here." He handed her a stack of papers. "This is what I've been able to gather so far about the case. Look it over while you're traveling." 

Aurora thanked him and set off, determined to get her job done quickly and well. It wasn't just out of her eagerness to please her teacher that she hurried. Ember, the Dragon Master of Blackthorn City, was an old friend of hers, one she had seen only seldom in recent months, as they both became more involved with their own work. After all, Ember was a busy young man; when he wasn't leading his Gym, he was leading Team Rocket. He was the nephew and heir of the infamous Giovanni, and now that the great gangster had taken his retirement, it rested on Ember's shoulders to keep the team in line. 

Outside Falkner's office, Aurora hurried up the hall and down a spiral staircase to the main floor of the Gym. She did not, however, head for the stadium, but instead turned her footsteps toward an ornate green door. Flinging it open, she found herself standing at the entrance to a huge greenhouse, fully two stories high with a walkway around the second storey. Trees grew there, both domestic and tropical, and a man-made stream splashed from one end of the structure to the other, spilling down a miniature waterfall to end up in a pool at the at the far side, where the water was drained and pumped through again. A wall of rock rose up against the building, providing nests and caves for rock-dwellers. Flying Pokemon of every variety lived here, from flocks of Pidgeys that Falkner used as messenger birds to rare and exotic beasts like Xatus and Dodrios. The Gym Leader and his apprentice shared a belief that Pokemon, when not being used for active training, were happier left outside their Pokeballs, so they were released to this aviary until they were needed. 

Seeing the girl's arrival, one bird in particular swooped down from his perch to greet her. It was a Fearow, a proud and fierce specimen who still bore the marks of old battles. He answered, if one was polite enough and if he felt like answering, to the name of Scar. Now he came forward eagerly to greet his trainer. 

"Hi, Scar! Miss me?" Aurora asked. 

"Fear, fear!" 

"Sorry. It's been a busy week - I've been buried in paperwork," she told him. "I've got a job for you now, though, if you want to get out for a while." 

"Fear!" 

"Great! We're going to go to Blackthorn City." 

"Fear, fear, fearow?" 

"Well, of course we're going to see Ember. Who else is there?" 

"Fearow, fearow." 

"Now, that's just plain silly. Falkner's right when he says Ember's about as sociable as a Cloyster. I can think of better people to talk to than him," answered Aurora. "Unfortunately, I have to. So, what do you say? You want to take a trip?" 

Scar considered the matter, ruffling his feathers. Then he flipped his wings in an avian shrug, which Aurora interpreted as, "Well, since I have nothing better to do..." 

"Good," she said. "Let's go." 

She climbed the stairs to the upper floor, where there was a window opening to the outside world, with a small balcony outside. It was a good place to stand and observe the countryside, and an equally good takeoff point for a trainer wishing to Fly somewhere. Aurora allowed the bird to take a comfortable grip on her shoulders, and the two of them lifted off into the sky. She grinned. Flying always gave her a rush of elation that few other things could, a feeling of being exactly where she belonged. The only other time she felt that way was during a Pokemon battle. For now, though, she was perfectly happy to be up in the air, watching her home city spreading out below her feet. Once, she had been offered the position of Leader of the Blackthorn City Gym; now she was glad she had refused the offer. There was nothing about her life in Violet City that made her feel anything but thankful to be right where she was. 

It was, however, undeniably true that the thought of going back to Blackthorn gave her a certain tingle of excitement... 

~*~

Aurora walked quickly through the streets of the city, feeling oddly as if she were in a place she didn't belong. Blackthorn had always given her that feeling, ever since the day she had first viewed it in the bloody light of a setting sun, and repeated visits had not done much to alleviate the sensation. There was an air of oldness there, as if there was some other force lurking beneath its surface, something that was only just barely tolerating the presence of the humans who had settled there. She privately thought it was no wonder its last Gym Leader had gone wrong, having to live under this oppressiveness each day. The most she could say was that it didn't seem to have had that effect on its current Leader... at least, not yet. 

She arrived at the front door of the Gym and was met by a young man in a uniform. She checked him briefly and identified him as only a Junior Trainer, a rank below her as far as Johto's loose pecking order was concerned. He also had only five Badges. Knowing that, she was able to approach him with a show of confidence she would not ordinarily have felt. It was amazing what a uniform could do for a person; most trainers would listen to her with some degree of respect, even if she was only the apprentice of the lowest-ranked Leader on the island. 

"Do you have business here?" asked the Junior Trainer. 

"I'm here on an errand from Gym Leader Falkner," answered Aurora. "I need to speak with the Dragon Master." 

The Junior Trainer narrowed his eyes. "About what?" 

"That's between him, me, and Leader Falkner." 

"What makes you so sure the Dragon Master will talk to you?" 

She smiled a little. "Just tell him it's Winter-hair here to see him." 

The Junior Trainer looked a bit mystified, but he went into the Gym to deliver the message. Aurora waited confidently. Within a few minutes, the trainer returned. 

"Leader Ember will see you now." 

The doors of the Gym were opened, and she stepped inside, following the trainer. She was pleased to note that Ember had renovated the Gym, removing the lava pools that had dominated it when Clair had been in charge. Now there was a smooth battlefield where trainers could face the Dragon Master fairly, if not successfully. However, it was not into the main part of the Gym that she was led, but up a narrow flight of stairs to the third level. There they found a broad corridor lined with pretentious-looking doors. The trainer rapped on the most ostentatious of the group. 

"Send her in," answered a quiet voice. 

The trainer turned the latch and pushed the door open, giving Aurora a look that said, "You're on your own now." She ignored him, and, with Scar hopping at her side, stepped into the room. 

She found herself in what might have been a parlor of some sort, a comfortably furnished room, dimly lit with candles. The golden light outlines the shapes of elegant furniture and glinted on the gilt stenciling of books. The carpet shone blood-red where the light struck it, but most of the room was simply red-tinged shadows. In the darkest part of the room, a pair of eyes glittered. 

"You always did like to be dramatic," Aurora commented, settling into a nearby chair. 

"I'm a Dragon Master," answered Ember. "Drama is part of what I'm about." 

As the girl's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could finally get a clear look at her old rival. There had been a brief time when they had been almost close, or at least constantly getting under each other's feet, saving each other from the messes that seemed to come with being a trainer. Then he had stepped into the double burden of Dragon Master and Rocket Leader, and the combined strain had left him too busy to keep up with his acquaintances. They had seldom had time to speak to each other in the last couple of years. She had to admit, he'd grown up well. He'd always been good-looking, and his new uniform agreed with him. He was dressed in something form-fitting and completely matte black, with a sweeping dark cloak. The dark color emphasized the brilliance of his red hair and blue eyes. 

"You were dramatic even before you were a Dragon Master," she answered, "but it's still good to see you again." 

He waved a hand negligently. "Cut the small talk. I know you didn't just come to chat. You have business with me, isn't that right?" 

There was a sharpness behind his words that made Aurora feel stung. "I still came to see you." 

"Only as Falkner's messenger bird," he replied. "Very well, then. Deliver your message. I'll bet I can guess what this is all about, anyway." 

"I did come with a question," she admitted. "I've heard there are... bad things going on in Kanto. Falkner thought you might know something about it." 

"What you are not saying is that the Gym Leaders would like to know if this is Team Rocket's doing," answered Ember. "I thought you, of all people, would know better." 

"I _do_ know better," she answered. "I'm not making any accusations. It's just that... you always seem to know everything that's going on, and more about it than anyone else. Even if you don't know, you've got ways of finding out. We need your help." 

Ember looked somewhat mollified. "Ah. Then I apologize. I am forgetting, you're the sort who would never think badly of anyone, would you? That being the case, I'll tell you what I know. I can, at least, assure you that Team Rocket is not behind the troubles in Kanto. They may be across the sea from me, but I can still keep a tight rein on my members. I do not permit such senseless killing; it is punished harshly enough that I doubt anyone is foolish enough to quarrel with me on that count. Nor will I allow the abandonment of Pokemon. If it happens that one of ours is injured or otherwise unfit to continue working, good homes are found for them out of the fighting circuit. There's a man in Lavender town, and a young woman in Cerulean City... But these are perfectly strong, healthy Pokemon that have been abandoned. No Rocket would ever have discarded them like that, even when my uncle was in charge." 

Aurora nodded. "I didn't think you would put up with that kind of thing. So, if the Rockets aren't to blame, who are?" 

"I don't know," answered Ember. "That's what worries me." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Not everyone trusts me like you do. There are quite a few trainers, even Gym Leaders, who believe I never should have been allowed to take this position. Only their respect for Lance's judgement gives me any stability here. If an enemy appears in a place where Team Rocket has been the major threat to peace and harmony for years, and I can't prove that it _isn't_ one of us that's causing the trouble..." 

"They'll blame you," Aurora finished. 

"Exactly. And I can't fight what I can't see. I have been searching diligently, through my gang's spies, but so far, we have minimal information. This enemy moves in no particular pattern. As far as we can tell, they attack trainers in out-of-the-way places and leave the remains where they're sure they'll be seen. They do not distinguish the talented from the untalented, the young from the old, male from female... no distinctions at all, as far as I can tell. They do not steal anything but the Pokemon, who are released in the wild." 

"There's no sense in it," said Aurora. 

"Oh, there's always sense in the criminal mind," answered Ember. "It makes sense to them, otherwise they wouldn't do it. Only the idiotic and the insane move without purpose, and this person or group is too slippery to be either. They have an intelligence network that puts yours and mine to shame, to avoid detection so well." 

"So you really can't tell us anything?" 

Ember gave her a sad smile. "No, I can't wave a magic wand and make everything all better. You haven't grown up a bit, Aurora - still the eternal idealist." 

"Maybe I just have a lot of faith in you." 

He laughed. "You're the only one. Well, perhaps a few others, but you... you're a special case." 

"I really have missed you, Ember." 

"Of course. That's why you came to visit so often." 

She didn't respond to the barb at first. Instead, she considered it seriously for a moment. 

"I guess you missed me too, then." 

"I like people to keep their promises, that's all," he replied. "Well, you have what you came for now. Go on back to your teacher and tell him what you've learned." 

"I will," she told him, "but don't be surprised if I come back." 

He smirked. "I won't hold my breath." 

Aurora got up and left the room, with Scar trailing behind her. She wondered why he hadn't said anything; normally, Scar was a vocal bird who never hesitated to put his two cents in. 

"What did you think of all that?" she asked. 

"Fear, fearow, fearow." 

"I'm not even going to answer that," she replied. 

When she left Blackthorn, dusk had fallen, and the city was lit with golden lights. As she and Scar flew away into the night, neither of them saw a single figure standing at a window on the third floor of the Gym, watching them as they vanished into darkness. 

~*~

The call went out a few days later: the Gym Leaders were to come together in a meeting, the likes of which had not been held for years. A representative from every town and metropolis in Johto was to be sent, as well as similar delegates from Kanto's cities. Aurora heard the news from one of Falkner's messenger birds, and she immediately sought him out to hear what he had to say on the subject. 

"Ah, just the girl I wanted to see," he said as she came into his office. "I was just about to send for you." 

"Chatter told me what was going on," she replied, referring to the talkative Pidgey. "Are you going to the meeting?" 

"Unfortunately, I can't," Falkner replied. "I am, after all, the local spymaster. They need me here to keep an eye on things. I won't be as useful sitting in a meeting as I will working on monitoring the situation." 

"So who's going, then?" she asked. 

"Well, I was told in the summons that if for some reason, the local Gym Leader can't attend, it would be best to send a substitute in the form of their apprentice..." 

Aurora gave a whoop of excitement, and Falkner laughed. 

"Eager to go, I see! Well, then, that saves me the bother of trying to convince you." 

"Who's going to do my job while I'm gone?" she wanted to know. 

"I'll get one of the Junior Trainers to look after things," Falkner replied. "Merlin, perhaps. He doesn't have your abilities with birds, but he's reliable in most other ways." 

Aurora nodded. "I've sparred with him a few times. He'll do all right for a few days... How long is this going to take?" 

Falkner shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe a day, maybe a week. I've never been in this exact situation, so I wouldn't know." 

"I almost hope it takes a while," said Aurora. "I've never been to Kanto before. I wouldn't mind looking around a little." 

"Well, that case, I suppose I could spare you for a little while," Falkner replied. "You won't see much sitting in a board room, though. I'll tell you what, why don't you take a short vacation? I don't think you've had one since you came here. You could probably use the break." 

"Oh, no, I've been so happy! I haven't minded being here at all..." 

"Even so, you're still a young trainer - you deserve to have a few adventures before you have to settle down and be responsible. Besides, you can pick up some Gym Badges while you're there. Have some fun while you're out there." 

She beamed. "Thanks, Falkner, you're the best!" 

"Don't forget to bring all your Pokemon along," he said. "And while you're at it, why don't you bring one of the Natus along? It will be good training for them." 

"Can I really?" 

"Of course. They'll like it, and it will be one less worry for poor Merlin while you're gone." 

"Thank you! I'll take good care of it," Aurora said. "I'll start getting ready right now!" 

"No hurry! The ship doesn't leave until tomorrow!" 

"Tomorrow?" she squeaked. "Great Lugia, I've got to pack! Bye, Falkner! I'll see you later!" 

She scampered off to the aviary in search of the Natu babies. They had become her responsibility a few weeks ago, when Falkner's Xatu had surprised everyone by producing a clutch of eggs. They had never been quite certain who the father was, as none of the other birds had owned up to it, but the fact remained that there were now five baby Pokemon who needed training, and as apprentice Gym Leader, Aurora was the logical choice for the job. She had to admit, they were rather endearing little things, and it hadn't been long before she'd gotten attached to them. She had even named them all. It had started when she'd noticed one of them growing with a tendency towards being a bit longer and flatter than the others. That shape, coupled with his bright green feathers, had prompted her to call him Lime. His rounder, fatter brother became Berry, and the other male she had named Kiwi. The girls became Papaya and Mango. They were apt names; all of them seemed to be in a constant state of near-starvation and chattered ceaselessly for food. 

"Now, which one of you should I bring?" she questioned her little flock. 

The birds cheeped loudly. She stared at them. 

"I can't take all of you, you know." 

"Nat! Natu! Natu, natu!" 

She covered her ears against the noise; baby birds were very vocal. When she felt brave enough to look down again, she saw that one of them was sitting on her foot. 

"What is it, Berry?" she asked. 

"Natu, nat, natu, natu." 

"Why not?" 

"Natu, natu, nat, natu." 

"You won't starve, I promise! Merlin's going to be looking after you - he'll make sure all of you are fed." 

"Nat, nat, natu." 

"He'll train you, too! Don't worry." 

"Natu, natu, natu, natu." 

She looked down at the little bird. It appeared that anything she told him was not going to convince him he would be safe without her. 

"How would you like to come to Kanto with me, Berry?" she asked. 

"Natu!" 

"I'll take that as a yet. Okay, boy - hop in!" 

She unclipped a PokeBall from her belt and opened it, allowing Berry to flutter clumsily inside. The Ball shut with a satisfying snap. 

"So much for traveling companions," she said. "All right, where are the rest of you guys? I know you're out there! Come on out - we're hitting the road again." 

At the sound of her voice, there was a rustling in the shrubbery, and five more Pokemon came out to greet their trainer. In the lead came the Umbreon, Moondancer. She was one of a rare group of experimental female Eevee pups, a gift from the famous Pokemon collector, Bill. Despite her Dark nature, she was a fun-loving creature who liked nothing better than an adventure, and was now twining around Aurora's ankles, purring her excitement. 

From the top of the rocky peaks came a metallic clatter, and a gleaming Skarmory flew down. He had first met Aurora after she had saved him from a Rocket poacher who had trapped him in a rainstorm. The resulting damage to his feathers had prompted Aurora to give him the name Rusty. These days, though, he was clean and shiny, thanks to her vigilant care. He was a noble soul who prized his honor, and followed Aurora out of his gratitude for protecting and caring for him. 

Out of a dark crevice, a swift fluttering shape flew out to circle his trainer a few times before coming to hang upside-down from her arm. That was Frightful, a Crobat. He had been the victim of Rocket experiments, left to die once he'd reached the end of his usefulness. Before Aurora had met him, she had been terrified of bats, but she'd been able to overcome her fear enough to save him from the Rockets and carry him to a Pokemon Center, saving his life. 

A raucous squawk announced the arrival of Blabberbeak the Murkrow. He'd formerly been trained by Rockets, and his demeanor proved it. He had the ability to parrot human speech - the extent to which he knew what he was saying was uncertain, but Aurora got the feeling he always knew exactly what he was talking about. The greater part of his vocabulary consisted of insults, but Aurora tolerated him, and he served her well in return. 

Last but not least was Scar, taking pride of place as Aurora's lead Pokemon. He had been her first, a birthday gift from her family on the day she'd started her training. He'd been abused and abandoned by his original trainer, and was still inclined to be disagreeable with strangers, but there was no doubting that he and his trainer adored each other. She ruffled his feathers affectionately, and he ran his long beak through her hair in greeting. 

"Hope you guys are ready for a few battles," she told them. "We're going to train in Kanto for a few days." 

The answer was a unanimous yes, and Aurora smiled. Falkner was right, as usual - it was time they had a new adventure. 

~*~

It was a sunny day over Olivine City as the trainers boarded their private ship. They would be traveling aboard the S.S. Ultramarine, a small boat that had been reserved strictly for those who would be attending the great Gym Leader's convention, to be held secretly at Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town. Aurora approached the docks with a feeling of excitement; she'd never ridden a boat before, and this one was a beauty. It's deep blue-green trim glittered like the sea itself. Scar caught her looking dreamily at it and squawked at her. 

"What's your problem?" she asked. 

"Fear, fearow." 

"Don't be so unsociable. If we flew, we couldn't talk to anybody on the way. Besides, what would be the point of getting there before anyone else? We'd just have to hang around and wait." 

"Fearow, fearow." 

"I hope you get seasick," she said. 

They stepped up to the walkway and were met by a young man in a uniform. 

"May I see your ticket, ma'am?" he asked courteously. 

"Um. I have it here somewhere," she said. She rummaged through her belongings - spare Pokeballs, potions, assorted power-ups, and the rest of her battle paraphernalia before finally coming up with the scrap of paper. She handed it over to the ticket-taker. 

"Aurora Cummings, representing Gym Leader Falkner and Violet City. Yes, everything is in order. Welcome aboard the S.S. Ultramarine. You can leave your Pokemon in the recreation area on the first level. Everyone else is upstairs in the dining hall." 

Aurora followed the ticket-taker's directions and found the recreation room at the end of a long hallway. She was expecting to find something like a Gym room inside, so she was surprised at what she actually encountered. There was a broad swimming pool at one end where assorted Water-Pokemon splashed, fading into ice floes on one end and soft sand on the other. One wall was taken up with artificial cliffs and caves, and plant life filled another corner. She smiled - Pokemon of any sort would find a comfortable nook here. She released her partners and let them seek out their preferred resting spots. 

"Don't get into trouble," she cautioned. "Don't pick any fights with strange Pokemon." 

"Get lost!" Blabberbeak scolded her. 

She laughed. "All right, then. At least don't get into any fights you can't get out of again." 

The bird flirted his tailfeathers at her and flapped off. She closed the door and left her Pokemon friends to their play. Then she headed for the staircase and set out in search of the dining hall and the rest of the trainers. 

Finding them wasn't hard; even from a distance, she could make out the chatter of many voices, and servers were dashing in and out the doors carrying trays. Aurora followed the action and found herself in a large room full of people. She noted that everyone else seemed to have arrived ahead of her, and mentally began ticking off the guest list. 

Representing New Bark Town was Professor Elm, the renowned researcher, together with his friend Mr. Pokemon from Cherry Blossom town and the well-known researcher, Bill. Then came the Gym Leaders and their helpers. In one corner, she could see Bugsy and Whitney deep in conversation - Aurora guessed from the look on her face that Bugsy was boring her silly with his research into insect Pokemon. 

Also present was a dark-haired and dark-eyed boy, dressed completely in black. He was talking to no one, but that was just his way. His name was Nicholas, called (though never to his face) Necromancy Nick, for he was the apprentice of Morty the Ghost Master. Like his master, he seemed to prefer the company of ghosts to human beings. 

Representing Mahogany Town's Gym came a duo, Yukiko and Miyuki, the twin trainers of Ice Pokemon. Aurora had met them before and found them to be nice enough people, an odd contrast to their crotchety master. They had eternally bland manners and vague smiles, and Aurora was never quite sure how much of it was genuine and how much was just an act to put people off their guard. Aurora waved to them before moving on. 

In the center of the room, she found three young people standing in a sociable cluster. One was a blue-haired and blue-eyed girl from Olivine City, Jasmine's apprentice Lapis Lazuli. She was chatting with a muscular young man with grey eyes and sandy hair, Cianwood City's Leader, Bruce. It was the third member of the group, though, that made Aurora stare. It was a girl of her own age with short dark hair and rosy cheeks. She was dominating the conversation, showing off a yellow pad full of notes to Lapis while Bruce hung on to every word. 

"Laine!" Aurora shouted, coming up to join her. "What are you doing here?" 

The girl turned around. "Rora! I was wonderin' when you'd show up!" 

Laine grabbed her friend in an enthusiastic hug; Aurora was sure she felt a few ribs pop. Nevertheless, she was smiling when she was released. Laine, otherwise known as Elaine Harvester, was her very good friend and former traveling companion. The two of them had crossed the whole of Johto together on Aurora's Gym journey, and during that time they had become fast friends. Laine was an up-and-coming researcher carrying on the work of her deceased father. With her outgoing ways and practical mind-set, she had been a good helper for the more idealistic Aurora. 

"Man, I haven't seen you in forever," Laine was saying. "How's your training comin'? Still havin' fun in Violet City?" 

"Tons," answered Aurora. "How about you? What are you doing here, anyway? You're not a Gym Leader - or you weren't the last time I heard." 

"Nah," said Laine. "I couldn' deal with all that fightin' stuff day in an' day out. I'm still busy with my research. I thought this would be fun, though, seein' all the Gym Leaders gettin' together, so I asked to come. Brucie here got me a ticket." 

"She talked me into it," said Bruce, nodding. "She's a fast talker." 

"I've noticed," Aurora replied. 

"My old dad wanted to come along himself," Bruce continued, "but Mom talked him out of it. He's minding the Gym for me while I'm gone. He grumbled a lot about all the extra work, but ever since he retired, he's been grumbling about not having enough to do." 

"His dad grumbles about everything," said Laine, with an expressive roll of her eyes. "If nothin' was goin' wrong he'd grumble about bein' bored. I'm glad Brucie takes after his mom. She's sweet." 

"Sounds like you're pretty well settled on Cianwood," said Aurora. 

"Sometimes," said Laine. "You know me - can't stand stayin' in one place for too long. I've been runnin' around a lot - pokin' around at Mt. Mortar, lookin' for wild Tauros outside of Ecruteak... but yeah, Cianwood's where I go when I wanna put my feet down." 

Aurora nodded knowingly. When Laine had met Bruce, the two had formed an instant rapport... and why not? Though Laine preferred not to battle unless she had to, she was still a skilled trainer in her own right with an affinity for Fighting-types. That affinity seemed to extend to the trainers of Fighting Pokemon as well. Aurora couldn't really blame her. Bruce was an attractive young man, nearly as muscular as the Pokemon he trained. More than that, though, he was possessed of a kind and friendly nature, and he seemed rather in awe of Laine's intelligence. 

"I hear you've been doing good work in Violet City," Lapis said. "Even Pryce speaks highly of you, and he never has anything good to say about _anyone_." 

"I like Pryce," said Aurora. "He and I always got along." 

"I'm glad someone does," said Bruce. "He never forgave me for coming through and clobbering his favorite Piloswine." 

"Who cares if she gets along with Pryce?" asked Laine. "It's Falkner she's training with. How is he?" 

"Busy," Aurora replied. "Even with a couple of Junior Trainers helping, we're still drowning in work. A lot of the stuff we deal with is classified information, so we can't let just anyone deal with it. I hate to think of everything I'm going to have to do to catch up when I get home." 

"Trusts you a lot, huh?" asked Laine, her expression turning calculating. 

"Well, yeah. I mean, I _am_ his apprentice." 

"You really lucked out when you got him as a mentor," said Lapis. "He doesn't get half the respect he deserves. He's very talented, and nice, too. He's probably one of the most easygoing Gym Leaders there is... next to Jasmine, of course." 

"He's cute, too," Laine added slyly. 

"Yeah," said Aurora, blushing a bit. Hurriedly, she added, "He is really nice. He hardly ever scolds me. Sometimes we even just hang around talking and playing games." 

"Games?" Laine repeated, raising an eyebrow. 

"He's teaching me to play mahjong," Aurora explained. "The game of the four winds, you know. I'm not very good at it yet, though." 

Lapis was listening to Aurora and Laine with a puzzled expression. "I'm sensing there's something more to this conversation than I'm getting." 

"It's nothing," said Aurora, still blushing slightly. "Laine's just goofing around." 

"Aurora has a crush on Falkner," said Laine. 

"I do not!" 

"You're blushing, Rora." 

"Because you're _teasing_ me!" 

Laine laughed. "You just don' wanna admit it. What's Ember gonna do now that you've got yourself a new boyfriend?" 

"Where _is_ Ember, anyway?" asked Aurora, latching gratefully onto a possible change of subject. 

Bruce shrugged. "No idea. I haven't seen him the whole time I've been here." 

"I know where he is," said Lapis. "I saw him when he got here. He went straight up to his cabin and hasn't come out since." 

"I wonder what he's doing in there?" Aurora mused. 

"Oh, you know him," said Laine. "He's always gotta be mysterious." 

A paranoid notion crossed Aurora's mind that he might be avoiding her. He had sounded irritate with her the last time they'd talked, though she was not entirely sure why. Could he really be that angry with her for not visiting him in so long? If so, she thought hiding from her was a silly way to deal with it. No, it was more likely that Laine was right; Ember was simply being his unsociable self. 

The journey passed pleasantly. The ship's food was very good - a notch above what Aurora got at home, she was forced to admit - and the company was enjoyable. She circulated through the crowd, chatting with Bill about how her Eevee had grown, asking the twins how Pryce was doing, and even exchanging a few words with Nicholas. She and Morty had never been particularly close, but he was a good friend of Falkner's, and she admired his talent even if she wasn't overfond of his company. By the time Mr. Pokemon had managed to corner her and ask her to recount for him the story of how she'd met the Articuno, the ship had pulled into its harbor, and she had an excuse to cut her story short and go to retrieve her partners. 

Just as she was leaving the recreation room, she was surprised to run into Ember. He didn't see her at first; his eyes seemed a bit glazed, and Aurora thought he looked very strained. 

"Ember!" she exclaimed. "Where have you been? Are you okay?" 

He turned and glared at her. 

"Oh, it's you," he said. "If you absolutely must know, I've been in my cabin." 

"I knew that, but what for?" 

"Because," he said bitterly, "boats make me seasick." 

Aurora looked surprised. "They do? But... you've traveled on your Gyarados through the oceans lots of times, and it never bothered you." 

"That was different," he said. "Hope is a steady swimmer. She doesn't do all that bobbing up and down and back and forth and..." His expression suddenly turned a few degrees paler, and he hurried off without a goodbye. 

"Oh, dear," she said, stifling an urge to giggle. "I know I should feel sorry for him, but..." 

Scar squawked loudly; he didn't have an particular compunctions about laughing at the unsociable Gym Leader's plight. 

Leaving the boat, she was met at the dock by a smiling, dark-haired girl. 

"Hi!" she said. "I'm looking for, let me see... Lapis Lazuli, Aurora Cummings, Miyuki Moriyama, Gym Leader Whitney, and Elaine Harvester. I'm guessing you're one of them?" 

"That's right. I'm Aurora, and this is Scar. Who are you?" 

"My name is Daisy," the girl replied. "I'm going to be your hostess while you're here. Most of the female trainers are boarding with me. The guys are camping out next door. There sure are a lot of girls in this batch, aren't there? I'm glad to see a rise in female Gym Leaders; Johto has only had Whitney and Jasmine since that Clair person got the boot. You had something to do with that, didn't you?" 

Aurora nodded, but didn't comment. She didn't need to; Daisy had already picked up another topic of conversation and was babbling away. She was contagiously excited, making all her guests feel as if they were all her long-lost sisters. They were escorted to a comfortable two-storey house in a forested corner of town, just across the street and across the block from the lab. 

"Professor Oak is my grandfather," Daisy explained brightly. "I really wanted to come and see the meeting, but he wouldn't let me. He's being really secretive about it. I don't quite understand it - I mean, everybody _knows_ there's going to be a meeting - you can't keep something like that quiet in a place this small - but nobody knows what it's about." 

"We're not allowed to talk about it," said Aurora. "Lance's orders." 

"Ooh!" said Daisy, intrigued. "Not even a hint?" 

"It would be most improper to disobey the Champion's orders," said Miyuki. 

"She prob'ly doesn' even know," Laine confided to Aurora. "I know Brucie doesn' know. He jus' got an order to come, so he came. I don' think I coulda gotten in except that Bill put in a good word for me." 

Aurora felt a twinge of surprise; she hadn't realized she was party to privileged information. How hard had the Elite Four been working to keep this quiet? To cover up the silence, she said, "I know I wouldn't want to have Lance mad at me. I met him once, and he seemed nice enough, but he didn't look like the kind of person you make upset without a good reason." 

"You met Lance?" asked Daisy, eyes going wide. "Wow! You're going to have to tell me about that!" 

"You should write a book," Laine commented, as they followed Daisy up to their rooms. "Then you wouldn' have to tell the same story over an' over so much. Neither would I, come to think of it." 

"I'll keep it in mind," Aurora replied. 

At the top of the stairs, the little group was distributed among the available sleeping spaces. Whitney and Lapis agreed to share the guest bedroom, while Daisy offered to let Miyuki stay the night in her own room. Aurora and Laine were stationed together in a small room that appeared to have been someone else's at some point; there was a clutter of odds and ends, small knickknacks that no one had ever bothered to remove. However, an effort had been made to make it comfortable. The bed was neatly made, and there was a sleeping bag spread out in a spare patch of floor. 

"That used to be my brother's room," Daisy explained. "He moved out when they made him a Gym Leader, and he never took all his junk out of the closet. Sorry about that. It'll be okay for a couple of days, though, right?" 

"This will be fine," said Aurora politely. 

"Cool, we get to room together," said Laine. "Just like old times, huh, Rora? I got dibs on the bed." 

"Whatever," Aurora replied. 

"Hey, much time as I spend on the road, sleepin' outdoors, I deserve a real bed for once! You've got your own room in the Gym, so you can't complain!" 

Daisy left the girls to get unpacked and settled in. They were left to their own devices for no more than half an hour, however, before Daisy came to knock on their door again, telling them that they were needed in the lab. 

"Finally, somthin' happens!" said Laine. 

The lab itself was as imposing, in its way, as any Gym, tall and noble, with white walls and glittering windows. Despite Laine's insistence that Pokemon were best studied in their natural habitat, something in her expression told Aurora that if she had to work in a lab, she'd have liked to work in this one. However, they didn't get nearly enough time to look around before they were hustled through a door and down a creaky flight of stairs. 

At the bottom of the staircase was a large empty room - empty, that is, except for a number of folding tables and chairs, and seated at these tables were a great number of people. Someone seemed to have jury-rigged a stage at one end of the room, just enough to make sure anyone standing there could be easily seen and heard by all, and sound equipment was spread across it with more interest in functionality than in aesthetic pleasantry. Otherwise, the room was bare, cold, and slightly dusty. Aurora had the feeling that none of what she was seeing had been there yesterday. She took her attention away from looking at the furnishings and started looking at the people. 

She had never met any of the Gym Leaders of Kanto, but she had seen enough pictures that she could recognize them when she saw them. None of them had bothered with sending apprentices; apparently they either didn't have any to send, or thought that Pallet Town was close enough to home that they could get there themselves conveniently. Aurora silently began ticking them off. That woman with the long dark hair and flashing eyes was Sabrina the Psychic. The quiet-looking girl in the formal dress was Erika, Mistress of Grass Pokemon. The redheaded girl, who was looking rather bored at having to wait, could only be Misty of Cerulean City, which made the girl sitting next to her Janine the ninja, master of Poison-types. Privately, Aurora thought Daisy had been right when she'd hinted that Johto was lacking in female Leaders. However, Kanto had its share of men, too - severe-looking Lt. Surge, Brock the Rock Master, and Gary, Leader of the Earth Gym, were all in evidence. Looking around, Aurora spotted other notables, including Professor Oak himself, the director of Sylph Co., and Mr. Fuji of Lavender town. The Elite four - Will, Karen, Bruno, and Koga, along with their Champion Lance - had a table to themselves. And off in a corner, conversing earnestly with Gary and another boy, was... 

"Look, look, look!" Laine hissed in Aurora's ear. "It's _him_!" 

"Are you sure?" asked Aurora, staring into the shadows. 

"Of course it's him! I've seen his picture in the papers a zillion times!" Laine replied. "Ash Ketchum!" 

"I'm impressed," said Aurora. "I've heard he's gotten rather reclusive since he earned his Championship. I wonder how they pried him out of hiding?" 

"He probably just knew he couldn't hang on to his Championship for very long," said an imperious voice. "I heard our Champion from Johto tracked him to the Silver Mountains and squashed him flat in a Pokemon battle." 

"Hello, Ember," Aurora said. "Over your seasickness so soon?" 

"Seasickness?" asked Laine. "I didn' know you got seasick, Ember." 

Ember rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Anyway, that's our Champion, Hiro, that he's talking to, if you're interested. If you're going to drool over Champions, you might as well distribute your attentions equally." 

"We aren't drooling," said Aurora. "We just have a proper amount of respect for a legendary trainer." 

"Giovanni was a legend in his time," said Ember, looking somewhat put out. 

"He's just jealous that we don't pay any attention to him," said Laine. 

"Me? Jealous? No, thank you," said Ember. "I've heard enough of this conversation. I hope you either have the sense to talk intelligently at this convention, or keep your mouths shut." 

He turned on his heel and stalked off, his cloak swirling dramatically behind him. The image was marred slightly by the fact that there was a young Dratini draped over his shoulder, which stared back at the girls with puzzlement in its eyes. 

"Well!" said Laine, raising her eyebrows. "If he didn' wanna talk to us, what the heck did he start a conversation for?" 

"No idea," Aurora replied. "Come on, let's go see if we can get some good seats." 

They hurried toward the tables, where they did not manage to get the best seats, but they still could see the stage well enough. Aurora sat with Laine on her left side and Yukiko on her right, which suited her well enough - Yukiko wasn't disagreeable company, and was better than, say, Nicholas. Ember took his place as far from everyone as possible and glared down the table at everyone in general. 

After a time, Lance got up and walked up to the stage. He tapped the microphone a few times, was reassured that it was working properly, and addressed the crowd. 

"Thank you for coming," he said graciously. "Has everyone arrived?" 

There was a moment of muttering as the crowd counted its members. 

"Blaine hasn't arrived yet," said Brock. 

"Does anyone have any idea where he might be?" Lance asked. 

"The Seafoam islands are a difficult journey from here, and his Fire Pokemon would not be able to carry him," Erika offered. "It may be that his journey has been obstructed." 

"He's been in a snit ever since his Gym got blown up," said Misty. "Maybe he decided he'd rather stay there and work than come out here." 

"Well, we don't have the leisure to wait for him," said Lance. "We'll have to start without him. I'm assuming you all know, by now, why we are here?" 

There was another murmur from the crowd. 

"I see you do," answered Lance. "Very good, that will save some explaining on my part. Explanations will accomplish little. What we need now is a plan of action. Has anyone a proposal for what we should do?" 

"We need some reconnaissance," Lt. Surge grunted. "Instead of having meetings, why don't we send someone out to find who's causing this trouble so we can go and stamp it out?" 

"Even as we speak my best reconnaissance agents are giving the project their full attention," said Lance. He spoke blandly, but there was a flash in his eyes at the implied criticism. Lt. Surge shrunk back into his chair. "Unfortunately, as of yet, they have uncovered no substantial evidence. Whoever our enemy is, they move quickly and work secretly. They also work with no pattern. They attack anyone, anywhere, at any time. Without a way of predicting where they might strike next, we are searching blindly." 

"It is true," said Sabrina, in her quiet, authoritative voice. "I myself have attempted to peer into the ethereal realms in search of clues, but they elude me. I have had only two visions I believe have any relevance to the case. One was an image of a tall gray mountain, and from its peak there shone a bright light... yet even as I watched, the light turned to darkness and plunged the entire mountain into night. The other showed me only a man in white gloves, but I could not see his face." 

There was another murmur at this. Sabrina was well-known for her psychic powers, but even she was known to make errors and misinterpret the signs. It seemed not everyone in the audience believed her pronunciation. 

"So what's really being said," Gary commented, "is that we really have no idea where to even begin looking for this guy." 

"Guy," said Ash, "or girl, or Pokemon." 

"You think it could be a Pokemon?" asked Bruce. 

Hiro shrugged. "It's possible. A powerful Psychic Pokemon, for example, could do it." 

"So not only do we not know _who_ is causing the problem, we don't even know _what_," said Koga, sounding grumpy. 

"So what do we _do_?" asked Lapis. "I mean, looking for the problem is one thing, but while we're doing that, what do we do about the trainers who are on the road right now? Any one of them could be in danger. One could be dying right now, for all we know. What are we going to do about it?" 

"The young lady has a point," said Professor Oak. "We should make an effort to protect the young trainers while we're seeking the culprit." 

"How do we do that?" asked Bruno. "We can't, not without telling them what's going on and scaring half the continent to death." 

"We may have to tell them anyway," said Lance. "If it comes to a choice between death and fear, I think most would rather suffer a few worries and stay alive." 

"I don't think we'd have to do anything drastic," said Aurora, surprising herself with her boldness. "From what Falkner's been able to gather, most of the trainers who have died, did so in really out-of-the-way places. Whoever this person is, they're a coward - they only pick off the people who can't possibly get any help, out in places where no one can see what's happened. If you want to keep people safe, keep them close to the cities and major roads." 

"That would drastically limit travel around the continent," said Bugsy. "All the caves, the tracts of water between islands, the forests... it would make taking the Gym Challenge nearly impossible, wouldn't it?" 

"We can suspend Gym activities temporarily if need be," said Lance. 

"That may not be necessary." 

All eyes turned to Ember. When he saw that he had everyone's full attention, he sat up straighter and stared back at them with defiance in his eyes. 

"I know you all don't care greatly for me," he said, "but this is an area where I can help you. Everyone knows that I am the Dragon Master of Blackthorn City, and that gives me a certain amount of authority. What all of you may not know is that I am also the leader of Team Rocket." 

He paused a moment as the few non-Leaders in the room made startled noises. 

"Don't look so scandalized," he said. "The institution isn't what it was three years ago. Ever since I came into power, I've been restructuring the entire outfit. Killing is strictly forbidden. No lives are to be taken, whether they're human or Pokemon. What Pokemon we keep are treated properly - no more abusing or abandoning them. All members who refused to follow my law are dismissed; most of them find their way to the authorities sooner or later. All I have left are a handful of the most loyal, the ones who are willing to follow my principles. I myself do not mix Gym business with Rocket work. Lance knows this; it is why I am allowed to remain in power. Team Rocket is not what it was, neither as cruel... or as strong. 

"This is my proposition. I have at my disposal the greatest group of spies and criminals in the world today. They can go where you cannot, into the darkest parts of your countries. They can learn things that you cannot. I am offering them to you now." 

His proposal was met with skeptical stares. Finally, Lt. Surge said, "And what's the catch?" 

"I prefer not to think of it as a catch. I'd rather think of it as payment for services rendered," said Ember. "If my Rockets can find this maniac you're looking for, I want a guarantee that they'll be rewarded for their work. I'm not asking for anything great, really. All I want is what's fair. For three years, Team Rocket was nearly nonexistent in Kanto. Then their hold was broken in Johto as well. Three years after that, I took over and cut what was left to less than half. There is almost nothing left compared to what we were. It seems fair that three years should belong to us, to rebuild what we've lost." 

Lance looked at him critically. "What precisely are you asking?" 

"For the next three years, I want official blindness to anything Team Rocket does. I want time to collect fresh followers and recoup our losses. After that, if you can catch us, so be it, but until then..." 

"Why should we agree with this?" asked Erika. 

"If you don't, we probably won't survive," Ember replied. 

"And what would be wrong with that?" asked Whitney, looking angry. "Team Rocket is evil, dangerous! We should be glad to be rid of it!" 

"You're wrong," said Aurora "Team Rocket isn't evil. People are. Team Rocket is just a place to keep the criminals together, so we can keep an eye on them. If Team Rocket breaks, there won't be any controlling them at all. They'd all be like the person who's causing all the trouble now, running around doing whatever they felt like. At least when they're in the team, they follow _some_ rules." 

There was some mutinous muttering. Many people started staring at Aurora the same way they had been staring at Ember a moment ago, and she forced herself to sit straight and ignore them. Ember himself looked at her with a strange, startled expression, as if he really hadn't expected her to take his part so vocally. As the muttering became louder and angrier, Lance began calling for order. 

"I can see there is some disagreement here," he said. "If you please, we will discuss it in an orderly manner. For my own part, I am inclined to trust Ember. Whatever else he may be, he is a man of absolute integrity. His rules may not be our rules, but he can be trusted nonetheless. With your agreement, I am willing to grant his favor." 

There was another muttering, which Lance quickly cut off with a sharp look. Everyone looked to him expectantly. 

"A show of hands, then. Ember will abstain from voting. All those in favor of accepting Ember's bargain, please raise your hands," he said, raising his own hand in example. 

Hands went up all around the room. Lance made a quick count. So did Aurora. She herself had raised her hand immediately, as did Laine, Bruce, the twins, and a few others. Sabrina and Will, the two Psychics, gave him a considering stare before raising their hands as well. A few others joined in more hesitantly. Lance gave them a few more minutes to think about it before nodding. 

"All right. All those opposed..." 

More hands went up. Again, Lance counted. 

"The votes stand thus," he said at last. "Those in favor number fourteen. Those opposed number fifteen. The proposal is denied." 

There was an angry buzzing as half the people present began arguing with the other half. Their assorted Pokemon hissed and squalled at each other under the tables. Ember stood up, shoving his chair away angrily, his eyes burning in the shadows. 

"Fine," he snapped. "I thought you all were elected as leaders because of your wisdom, but it is clear you prejudice outweighs your intelligence. I want no more part of this mockery of justice. I'm leaving. If you want me, I'll be out catching this killer while you all sit around and have your meetings. Goodbye." 

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. There was a ringing silence. 

"Who does he think he is, walking out on us like that?" barked Lt. Surge. 

"He thinks he is the Dragon Master," answered Nicholas quietly, "and the leader of Team Rocket, and a fine trainer in his own right. In his own way, he is every bit as powerful as our own Lance." 

"You be quiet," said Whitney. "You and your master both just like to make trouble!" 

"Morty does not make trouble," answered Lapis stiffly. "He simply doesn't judge by appearances. Jasmine says he's one of the best trainers there is, and I trust her judgement." 

"Jasmine's objectivity is clouded where Morty is concerned," said Erika. 

"Jasmine's personal life is of no concern to anyone," said Sabrina. "As for Morty, he shares with the Psychics an ability to judge people's characters. I myself believe Ember is trustworthy." 

Will nodded. "I foresee a future in which we will all be very grateful for Ember's presence. The aura of greatness surrounds him; he is destined for great things. It would be better that we cooperate with him." 

"Drop all that psychic nonsense," Janine said acidly. "Just look at him! Anyone can see he's a shady character, and dangerous." 

"We have had dealings with Ember in the past," said Yukiko. "He is a brave young man, and absolutely loyal to his friends. I cannot suspect him of duplicity." 

"But... he's a _Rocket_," said the Sylph Co. director in a quavering voice. "Surely you understand..." 

"What I understand," said Aurora, "is that Ember is a _good_ person. He's saved my life before. He helped put Clair behind bars. He freed a bunch of Pokemon who would have been killed by the Rockets otherwise. He's trying to _help_ you people, and you won't let him!" 

"Yes, but you heard what he wants!" said Koga. "We couldn't possibly allow-" 

"Quiet!" Lance bellowed. 

There was instant silence. Everyone stared at him, feeling like rowdy schoolchildren being caught by the principal. 

"That's better," said Lance. "Frankly, I was hoping for more from you all. With your agreement, we will table the matter for tonight. It is getting late, and we are all tired. Perhaps with time to rest and consider, you will be able to converse _sensibly_ in the morning. Meeting adjourned." 

The group broke up with sighs of relief and rebellious muttering. Aurora could hear a few whispers hissing around her as people quietly carried on the debate as they went out the door. She felt a lump of anger building in her stomach; why couldn't people realize that there was nothing wrong with Ember? However, before she could pursue that thought too long, a heavy hand came down on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Bruce. 

"Hey," he said. "You sounded pretty good out there, you know?" 

"Not good enough, though," she answered with a sigh. 

"Well, anyway, you stood up and said your piece. You ought to be proud of yourself. You're acting like a real Gym Leader." 

"Thanks," she said, smiling a little. "How come you didn't say anything?" 

"Aw, I dunno. I'm not much good at talking in front of people. You said everything better than I could, and they still didn't listen." 

"Hey, you," said Laine, coming up beside Aurora. "You quit monopolizing my boyfriend, you hear?" 

"I'm not monopolizing him," said Aurora, "and you just called him your boyfriend." 

Laine blushed, but Bruce just laughed. 

"Come on, let's get out of this gloomy place," he said. "I'll walk you both home. How's that?" 

The girls agreed quickly. After all, Aurora reasoned, there was still something malevolent lurking out there, and you never could be too careful. 

~*~

Despite a difficult night's sleep, Aurora was still in a much improved mood by the next morning. Perhaps, she thought, Lance was right when he said that they all needed a long time-out. Her normal idealistic nature was reasserting itself by the time she had finished her breakfast. It was hard to believe anything was going wrong when sunlight was streaming through the kitchen windows and Daisy was flitting about, chattering non-stop. Whitney seemed to have forgotten that she had ever disagreed with anyone about anything, and everyone was in high spirits. They laughed as their Pokemon played around the table legs, stealing blueberry muffins when they thought no one was looking. 

When the dishes had been put away and no one had summoned them back to the lab, Miyuki suggested they spend some time outdoors, exploring the town. The suggestion was met with unanimous agreement, and the girls set out into the bright morning sun. As was usual, Laine wound up tagging behind Aurora. 

"That was some meeting we had last night, huh?" said Laine. "If it keeps going like that, we're never gonna get anything done." 

"Oh, don't talk like that," Aurora replied. "Not now. I don't want to think about it right now. Let's talk about something cheerful." 

"Okay. Like what?" 

"Pokemon. Have you caught anything new recently?" 

Laine grinned. "A few. After all, that's the best way to study them, havin' them right there with you. I've got myself a nice Ampharos... and Brucie gave me a Tyrogue for my birthday. I can't make up my mind whether I want him to be a Hitmonlee, a Hitmonchan, or a Hitmontop. What do you think?" 

"I don't know. You're the one with the Fighting affinity. I'll stick to Flying-types, thanks." 

"So, have you got anything new?" 

"Just Berry. He's a Natu. He's a little behind his brothers and sisters, so I brought him along for some extra training." 

"He's not gonna get much training goin' to meetings," Laine pointed out. 

"Well, Falkner gave me permission to stay here for a while and explore Kanto. He suggested I try out some of the Gyms here and collect a few Badges." 

Laine whistled. "Hey, sounds like fun! Maybe I should hang out with you for a while. I haven't been around Kanto since I was a little kid." 

"Won't Bruce mind you staying here?" 

"I dunno. Let's go ask him." 

They wandered over to the other side of town, where the boys were rooming. Predictably, Bruce was also outside enjoying the weather, sparring with a Hitmonlee." 

"No, no, no," he was saying. "Look, you're aiming too high. Try it again." 

"Hitmon! Hitmonlee!" 

"I know, but you could still stand some improvement." 

"Hit, hitmon! Hitmonlee, hitmon." 

"You tell 'im," Laine chimed in. 

"What did he say?" Aurora asked. 

"He says Brucie can criticize when he's the one on the Gym floor takin' hits." 

"And he's not the one Dad chews out when I lose a match," said Bruce. "Hi, you two. What are you doing up here? I guess you heard the news, huh?" 

"News?" Laine repeated. "I didn't hear any news." 

"Me, neither," said Aurora, feeling miffed. As Falkner's apprentice, she was used to knowing everything as it happened. 

"Oh. I guess it hasn't quite made it over to your side of town yet," said Bruce. "There are a lot of nasty rumors buzzing around this morning." 

Aurora sighed. "It figures. And I was hoping this could all be wrapped up peacefully... Okay, what are the rumors?" 

"Well, the first thing is true," said Bruce. "Blaine never showed up." 

"Never?" Laine repeated. 

Bruce shook his head. "Uh-uh. Lance sent an inquiry; it seems Blaine left Cinnabar Island, but he vanished somewhere between there and here." 

"Oh, boy," said Laine. "That's bad. What else are they saying?" 

"Ember's gone, too," Bruce replied. 

"Well, we know that," said Aurora. "He said he was leaving, didn't he? That's just like him - if nobody will let him do what he wants, he walks off and does it anyway." 

"Maybe," said Bruce, "but after that scene he put on last night, it doesn't look good." 

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked. 

"Well, it's like this," Bruce replied. "We know Ember wants Team Rocket reinstated, and he was using this whole thing as an opportunity to try to achieve his own goals. It didn't work, so now he's disappeared - walked out. Some people are hinting he's left the League for good." 

"He'll be back," said Aurora. "He said he was coming back, so he'll come back." 

"Yeah, well, he'd better," said Bruce. 

"Why d'you say that?" Laine asked. 

"Because," Bruce replied, "the word around town is that the person causing all the trainers' disappearances is Ember." 


	2. Stage Two The Apprentice Conspiracy

**

Stage Two - The Apprentice Conspiracy

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

"Ember?" Aurora repeated. She stared at Bruce, hoping she had misheard. That was the only way she could possibly discount what he'd just said. Bruce wasn't inclined to exaggerate, and he didn't have the imagination to lie outright. 

Unfortunately, Bruce nodded in affirmation. "It's all anyone can talk about. Of course, not _everyone_ believes it, but there are enough people who do that it's worth keeping in mind. It's going to make trouble among the Gym Leaders, that's for sure." 

"Do you have any idea who believes it and who doesn't?" asked Aurora, thinking fast. If it came to trouble, she wanted to know who her allies were. 

"Yeah, that's easy enough," said Bruce, surprising her with a slight grin. "Soon as I figured out something was up, I talked Nick into sending one of his spooks out to - you know, snoop a little." 

Laine grinned. "You're leanin' from me, Brucie. I like that. Shoulda thought of it myself." 

Bruce beamed at the praise. "Most of us young trainers are in Ember's favor. _We_ know he's an okay guy. I mean, I only met him a couple of times, but he seemed all right to me. It's only the old stick-in-the-mud types, the ones that have been training for years and don't want things to change, that are raising a fuss. They'd rather it be a nice, high-profile Rocket they can snipe at, and not somebody they've never heard of and can't predict. Easiest to blame it all on Ember." 

Aurora frowned. "I don't like it." 

"Can't be helped," said Laine with a shrug. 

"But it's going to make a mess of anything that happens next," Aurora pointed out. "As long as even most of us are convinced that Ember's to blame for the trouble, they aren't going to spend any time looking for the _real_ problem." 

"Problem?" interjected a light voice. "Are we talking about problems? I can give you a few." 

Aurora jumped. The voice was familiar, though not one she would have counted as friendly. It was none other than Nicholas, the apprentice Ghost Master, regarding her with his wickedly glinting eyes. 

"I have enough problems, thanks," she said. She didn't even bother telling him off for eavesdropping; it was to be expected from anyone who trained with Morty. 

"I know," said Nicholas, gliding over to join the group. "I just want you to know what they are. They seem like the kind of things it would be useful to know." 

Laine gave him a suspicious stare. "Enlighten us." 

"Gladly," he said. "I think you ought to know that some of Ember's... ehm... most vocal detractors are starting to expand their acrimony somewhat." 

Bruce looked blank. "What does that mean, when it's at home?" 

"Don't mind him; he likes being vague," said Aurora. "Are you trying to say they think Ember isn't scapegoat enough for them?" 

Nicholas smiled slowly. "Of course not? Why stop pointing fingers once you start? After all, Ember didn't rise to power all on his own. People helped him." 

Aurora paled a little. "You mean... like me? Or Laine?" 

"Not you. Not yet," answered Nicholas with a dismissive gesture. "You are, after all, only the apprentice of a very low-ranking Gym Leader. Not nearly spectacular enough. No, they want someone bigger to point fingers at... and there aren't many people bigger than Ember to point at. Not that I'm not sure they won't point at you eventually... Me, too, of course," he added, flashing a sharp smile. "That will be fun." 

"Who are they going to accuse who's more important than Ember?" asked Bruce. "I mean, he's the highest Gym Leader in Johto and the Rocket Boss besides. The only people who are higher than him are the Elite Four and Lance, and nobody would accuse _them_..." 

"Lance!" Laine yelped. "Of course! He's the one who made Ember a Leader... Heck, he trained Ember himself! I'd bet my last Apricorn they're makin' up stories 'bout him right now, sayin' he encouraged this..." 

Nicholas applauded. "_Very_ good! I knew one of you would guess. Yes, some of the Leaders are not happy with Lance at all right now. They're putting their little heads together, whispering about how he trained Clair and how _she_ turned out. She allied with Rockets, and now the new Dragon Master is the _leader_ of Rockets. They're talking about how Lance was always too soft with them, never stomping them out entirely. Talking about how Giovanni and Lance were friends when they were young, and how he made Giovanni a Gym Leader... Amazing what a little panic will do for an otherwise sterling reputation, isn't it?" 

"You're sadistic," said Aurora. 

Nicholas flashed his white smile again and bowed to her. 

"So, lemme get this straight," said Laine. "First people are whisperin' that Ember's got his Rockets randomly killin' people off as part of a far-fetched plan to put them in power, and now they think Lance is behind it somehow. Is that what you're tellin' me?" 

"You are a jewel of wisdom," answered Nicholas. 

Laine shook her head. "That's insane. They're nuttier than a stack of Apricorns. Don't they remember how many times Lance cleared out Rocket operations? If he were tryin' to help 'em, I can think of a ton of ways that would be faster and easier than this." 

Nicholas smiled at her. "You forget, people will believe _anything_ when they're frightened. These people are frightened. They've met something they don't understand for the first time in years, and they are eager to turn it into something they don't have to worry about." 

"Someone is going to have to set the record straight before this goes too far," said Aurora. 

"Who?" asked Nicholas. "And how? Some of these people - Lt. Surge, for example - are not inclined to listen to reason right now." 

Aurora searched her mind for an answer, but could think of nothing. Fortunately, she was saved by the arrival of Daisy. 

"There you are!" she said. "I was wondering where you went. They want you back at the lab - the meeting is starting again." 

"Oh, this is gonna be fun," said Laine. "Keep your Pokemon out, Brucie. It's pennies to a PokeBall that a fight's gonna break out." 

"I hate to say it, but she's right," Aurora sighed. "Right about now, I wish I was still in Violet City cleaning up bird droppings." 

"Is that what you do all day? How glamorous," said Nicholas. 

Before she could come up with a retort, he'd turned and sauntered away, leaving the rest of the group no choice but to try to copy some of his grace as they trailed behind him. 

~*~

In her youth, Laine had once had the experience of being in a field full of Pikachus in various stages of evolution, and she had experienced firsthand what the guidebooks had to say about the little yellow animals: that large groups of them had the propensity of producing electrical storms. She had felt the energy tingling in the air around her, making the hair on her arms and neck stand up and her father's electrical equipment go haywire. The air in the basement of the laboratory felt much the same way; she didn't think she'd ever been in a room with so much tension in it. 

"This is gonna get ugly," she whispered to Aurora. "I shoulda stayed in Azalea makin' PokeBalls." 

"Stay here," Aurora replied. "When the fighting breaks out, I'll need you watching my back." 

They took their seats, noting that there seemed to have been a reshuffling of the arrangement of last time. Aurora almost thought she could see a line drawn down the center of the room, putting those who supported Ember on one side and his detractors on the other. They glared at each other across the tables, while their Pokemon scampered around under their feet, growling and snapping at anyone who came too close. Scar sat behind Aurora's chair with his wings half-unfurled, as if trying to guard her from assassins. Laine had her own lead Pokemon, a Machop called Nova, standing on one side of her, with musclebound Bruce on the other. Even the normally unflappable Nicholas was surrounded by a shimmering cloud that meant his ghosts were present and ready to protect him. 

Standing in the shadowed corner of the room, Lance turned to Professor Oak and sighed. 

"I don't like this," he said. "Something is wrong here, and it's getting worse instead of better. We should call this off before it gets completely out of hand." 

"But what about the murders?" asked Oak, speaking softly so that only Lance could hear him. "We have to do _something._" Turning a worried eye over the crowd, he added, "Some of these look like they're ready to take the law into their own hands. If you can't get them under control, that's exactly what they'll do." 

Lance sighed. "Then I have no choice. I'll just have to hope..." 

He stepped up to the microphone, and the babble of the crowd subdued into a nearly inaudible whispering and shuffling. Lance decided that was the best he was going to get at the moment; trying to coerce them into silence was not likely to go over well right now. 

"I am under the impression," he said, putting an edge of iron into his voice, "that there has been some muttering going on. As a matter of fact, I'm getting the feeling there are more rumors than Pidgeys flying around here right now. I want you all to know that I disapprove of this. If any of you have anything to say about me or any of your fellow Gym Leaders, you can settle it face to face. Your likes and dislikes are not my concern, but the unity of this League is. If we allow suspicion to flourish among us, the results will be as devastating as any plot by our enemies. I want this whispering to stop. Either you all can conduct yourselves civilly, or I will be forced to take measures of my own." He swept a stern gaze around the room, leaving them all to imagine for themselves what those measures might be. "Now, does anyone have anything they want to say?" 

From the back of the room, Whitney piped up, "Ember hasn't come to the meeting." 

"That is Ember's prerogative," answered Lance. "Any or all of you can walk out of this room at this moment. I cannot command you to stay here, only ask. After the way he was insulted yesterday, I hardly blame him. I will thank you to reserve your remarks to the matter at hand, and not act like a tattling schoolgirl." 

Whitney flushed and shrunk into her chair. 

Laine grinned at Aurora and whispered, "I think the boss-man's ticked." 

"I think you're right," Aurora whispered back, and Scar gave a quiet chuckle. 

"I agree with the Champion. If I may," said Koga, "I would say that this discussion is best left to those who actually want to work with the League to see the problem solved, rather than those who insist on leaving to walk their own roads." 

"That was uncalled for," said Lance. 

"I think not. After all, we are a League. We are supposed to work together to solve problems," answered Koga smoothly. "As I understand it, Giovanni himself repudiated the boy for his rebellious ways, and he seems to be acting the same way now. Is that really what you want in a Gym Leader?" 

Lance frowned. "I suspected that was what your problem was. Are you going to put me on trial for choosing Ember as my student? You've had three years to lodge a formal complaint. Why start now?" 

"Um, excuse me," said Lapis softly, "but aren't we sort of getting off track? I thought this meeting was about trying to track a criminal." 

"We know who the criminals are," Lt. Surge growled. "The same people it always is - those conniving Rocket scum! I've been telling you for years, Lance - we ought to wipe 'em out once and for all, and save ourselves some headaches!" 

"And I've been telling you, Surge, that there are good reasons for keeping the structure as it is," Lance barked back. "I also have very good reasons to believe that the Rockets are _not_ at fault for our present problems. Rocket business is primarily geared toward the acquisition of money. Random killing of trainers and abandonment of their Pokemon isn't even remotely conductive to anything a Rocket would be interested in. There is no proof whatsoever that the Rocket gang is involved." 

"The Rockets are interested in building their power again," said the Sylph Co. director. "You heard what that Ember boy said yesterday - he's trying to scare us into letting them have free reign!" 

"I say he is _not!_" Lance snapped. 

The words snapped like a whip over the assembled company, stunning them into silence. All of them stared at Lance. He was clearly beyond "ticked" and building into a stormy rage. He seemed to have grown in stature, his cloak billowing around him like dark wings, his eyes flashing. He had gone in an instant from a normal, albeit imposing and charismatic, man, to something magical, larger than life. Aurora realized in a flash why this man had reigned over the League for so many years. At that instant, she would have obeyed any order he made without question. 

"Now," he said, speaking softly in the silent room, "I see what is going on. This is the moment of reckoning. Speak freely with me. You doubt my judgement in choosing a successor. You believe I have betrayed you, handed you into the hands of your enemies. You suspect me of siding with those who would destroy the things I have worked hardest to preserve. I give a good man a chance to prove he is better than his background, and you vilify him. I place my trust in you, and you waste your time in mudslinging and rumor-mongering. You have been chosen as the greatest, the wisest, the most honorable, and this is how you conduct yourselves." 

There was a soft buzzing, as if from a distant nest of Beedrills, just before they swarm to attack. The Gym Leaders were hissing a furious denial of what had been said. Lance gave it a moment to subside before beginning again. 

"I do not believe there is one among you who is not loyal to the League. I believe each and every one of you would fight to the death for the Pokemon League and what it stands for. I'm not accusing you of anything. All I'm saying is that I expected more from you than this." 

He stared around the room again, no longer angry, but wearing an expression of deep hurt and sorrow. Several of those present squirmed in their chairs. 

"Now," said Lance, "if there are no more objections..." 

There were guilty-sounding, half-heard murmurs. It seemed people still weren't completely willing to give up on pursuing Ember as a scapegoat. Aurora stared. How could anyone still want to suspect him after a speech like that? Yet, even as she watched, some of his more vociferous detractors were shooting looks at each other, egging each other toward objecting once again. Janine spoke up. 

"Perhaps... a compromise?" she suggested, her dark eyes glinting slyly. "I will admit it is conceivable that Team Rocket is not behind this, but I do not want to rule out the chance that it is. We should have at least a token force investigating the Rockets while someone else checks for other possibilities." 

Lance frowned for a moment. It was plain he was still annoyed that people weren't taking his word, but it was also plain that this might be the best solution he was going to get. He sighed. 

"Very well," he said. "Someone will be sent to track Ember down and find out what he's up to. Does that please you?" 

It did; the smug looks that flashed around the room told Aurora that most people thought this was going to solve their problems quite handily. She dug her nails into her palms to stop herself from slapping a few of them. 

"Now, for the problem at hand..." said Lance, in a tone that said the previous argument was not going to be brought up again, "we should give some thought to protecting the trainers who are already on the road. I have given the matter some serious consideration, and I have decided that it may become necessary to temporarily suspend all Gym activities." 

_That_ got everyone's attention. An excited babble broke out, but in the hubbub, it was hard to tell what the overriding emotion was. Lance quieted it with a raised hand. 

"My reasoning is twofold. For one, the primary reason young trainers travel is to have Gym Battles. If there are no Gyms available, they will be less likely to leave home. Second, closing the Gyms leaves us with our hands free to concentrate on finding the murderer." 

There was another burst of chatter, but this time it sounded faintly approving, and there were a few nods. Aurora felt slightly downcast; she had been hoping to challenge a few Gyms while she was in Kanto, but Lance _did_ have a point... 

With the debate about Ember momentarily forgotten, the assembled company quieted down enough to talk sensibly. It was a relief; Aurora had been wondering if this crowd knew how to agree on _anything_, but the rest of the discussion went quite smoothly. In the end, the proposal they agreed to was very like what Lance had originally suggested. They finally agreed that the Gyms would remain open, but the borders of towns would be closed to wandering trainers, so that they could only do battle at their own local Gyms. It was not an ideal solution, but it was the best that could be done short of ordering everyone in Kanto to stay home. The meeting was declared over, and everyone walked out feeling much calmer than they'd been when they entered. 

"Whew!" said Laine. "I'm glad that's over." 

"So am I," Aurora agreed. "Did you see the look on Lt. Surge's face when Lance started making that speech? I thought he was going to explode for a minute there." 

"Surge is wired to a short fuse," said Bruce. "Isn't Lance something, though? I wanted to hide from him when he started with his speech, and I didn't even do anything wrong!" 

"He's impressive, all right," said Aurora. "Too bad he can't make them understand that this isn't Ember's fault. They're going to be wasting time looking for him when they could be looking for the real problem." 

"Real problem?" said Nicholas. "Dear, Ember _is_ the real problem. I thought we'd established that already. No doubt the forces they send to look for the 'imaginary' problem won't look in any place you couldn't hide a herd of Kanghaskhan." 

"Too right," said Laine. "Man! Sometimes I just wanna go up to people and beat some sense into their heads." 

"Are we going to beat someone? I'll help." That tired voice was Lapis, who had just come up from behind to join them. "I got stuck sitting at the end of the table next to Bruno, and let me tell you, that's a stressful experience. He's not happy with Lance right now, and he made sure I knew it." 

"This is all insane," said Aurora. "We have a major problem on our hands, and the Gym Leaders aren't going to be doing a _thing!_" 

"That is not entirely accurate," said a lilting voice. Aurora turned and stared, but Miyuki and Yukiko were so similar in every way that she couldn't even guess which of them had spoken. 

"What do you mean?" she asked the both of them. 

"Some of the Leaders are on Ember's side," said Miyuki. "Sabrina, for example. The vision of the Psychics allows them to see more clearly than most." 

"True," said Aurora, "but as long as half the Leaders are fighting with the other half... I don't know. It just doesn't feel right. I can't help thinking there's going to be trouble as long as so many people are suspecting Ember - and Lance. How long do you think the League is going to hold together when half its members are suspecting Lance himself is in league with the Rockets?" 

"Well, in a way, he is," Nicholas pointed out. 

"You know what I mean," said Aurora. "I wish there was someone I trusted to get this job done right..." 

"Who would you trust?" asked Lapis. 

"Someone I knew," Aurora replied. "Someone like you guys who already knows Ember, knows he's all right, and isn't afraid to get their hands dirty looking for the _real_ culprit." 

"Then why not us?" asked Yukiko mildly. 

Aurora opened her mouth to say something. Then she stopped. She smiled. 

"You're right," she said slowly. "Why _not_ us? It just might work..." 

Laine stared at her. "You're hatchin' a plan. I can just hear it." 

"Look," said Aurora. "We know half the Leaders on this island aren't going to do a thing to look for anyone who isn't Ember, and the other half are going to be busy watching their Gyms, so even if they aren't looking for Ember, they won't have much time to look for anyone else, either. _We_ don't have Gyms to keep up with right now. We have some leeway to move around. Not only that, but we have the authority to stop any troublemakers we find. Who's to say we can't take matters into our own hands?" 

Nicholas grinned. "Beautiful. I love it." 

"I don't know," said Lapis, frowning a little. "I mean, it's a good idea, but is Lance going to allow us to just go wandering around like this? I mean, he's already just about shut the Gym circuit down..." 

"Hmm..." said Aurora, thinking hard. "There might be a way around that... what if we all just picked a city and stayed in it? He couldn't really object to that. We can scatter around the continent and keep watch. One of us is bound to find something." 

"That makes sense," answered Bruce. 

"To a point," Nicholas said. "Still, it would be nice if one of us had the freedom to move. Our enemy travels light, moves fast, strikes in secret. The person who catches him will have to move the same way." 

"True." Aurora frowned. "Hm... I wonder if one of us could... could talk Lance into giving a special permission. Something about wanting to collect Kanto Gym Badges, saying our mentor wanted it as part of our training..." 

"Falkner wanted you to collect Gym Badges," Laine reminded her. 

"Well, yeah," she said... 

"Why don't you talk to Lance?" Bruce suggested. "I mean, you've met him before, right? He seems to like you all right. He might listen to you more than one of us." 

"Well..." 

"This _was_ your idea," Nicholas pointed out. 

"I guess..." said Aurora reluctantly. "Oh, all right. I don't guess he's going to kill me or anything just for asking. Does anyone know where he might be now?" 

"I am under the impression," said Yukiko, "that the Champion is currently residing in one of the upstairs rooms at the lab." 

"Ah," said Aurora. She had been vaguely hoping he might be somewhere distant and inaccessible so she'd have an excuse to back down. "Good. Guess I'll go talk to him, then." 

"Go tell 'im, fearless leader!" Laine called after her. Scar squawked something insulting at her, but fortunately, only he and Aurora understood. 

Steeling herself, Aurora marched back into the lab and began looking around for some stairs that might lead her to the upper levels. She needed to get there quickly - not because of the urgency of the situation, though it certainly did feel urgent - but because if she didn't do this quickly, she'd lose her nerve. 

*_Brilliant, Aurora,_* she scolded herself. *_So clever coming up with all those plans. Who did you think was going to carry them out, your maiden aunt? Now you're stuck with them, stuck with starting a debate with the greatest trainer on the continent. Really good move._* 

"Going somewhere?" asked an aide in a white lab coat. 

Aurora barely stopped herself from jumping. "What?" 

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I startle you?" asked the aide. "I just saw you looking around and thought you seemed lost." 

"Um - yeah," she said quickly, prompted by a tap from Scar's beak. "Actually, I am. I was sent to deliver a message to Lance the Dragon Master." Well, that wasn't _quite_ a lie. "I was told he was upstairs somewhere, but I can't find the stairs." 

"I see," the aide replied. "Yes, it is easy to get lost in this place. If you need to talk to Lance, just head down that hall over there, go through the door at the end and up the stairs to the third floor. He'll be the third door on your left as you're leaving the stairwell. Clear enough?" 

"Yes, sir. Thank you." 

"Glad to be of help." 

Aurora hurried to follow the directions, keeping her pace brisk but not hurried and her eyes straight ahead, doing her best to look like she belonged here and was doing something important that no one needed to bother her about. It worked, primarily because there didn't seem to be a lot of people beyond the door the aide had pointed her to. The only person she saw the entire time was Will of the Elite Four, who only nodded politely to her as she passed and gave her the kind of knowing smile that she associated with Psychics and Ghost Masters, the kind of people who tended to always know what was going on. The idea that someone as lofty as Will might approve of what she was doing made her feel a trifle less nervous. 

She reached the door she'd been directed to, and there, her courage failed her. She stared at it, listening to the silence of the hall, her brain spinning with reasons why she ought to walk away and forget all this nonsense. It was possible that he wasn't even in there right now. He could have turned around and gone home as soon as the meeting was over. He might be too busy right now to be bothered by an unimportant apprentice Gym Leader. She might have even mis- remembered her directions; this might be someone else's room. Maybe she should come back when she was more certain... 

Scar shot her an annoyed look, crowed once, and pecked at the door with his long sharp beak. 

"Thanks a lot," Aurora muttered. 

"Is someone there?" said Lance's voice from behind the door. 

"Um, yes," said Aurora nervously. "Would you mind if... can I come in?" 

"You may." 

She opened the door, feeling a hundred times more apprehensive than she had when she'd been to visit the other Dragon Master. She had met Lance on a few occasions, the first being when he had presented her with the Rising Badge and declared her to be a Pokemon Master. He had visited a few other times over the years, to check up on various items of business with Falkner, and he'd always been very polite and pleasant to her. Even so, there was just something about him that left her fighting back an impulse to stand staring with her mouth hanging open. It wasn't anything in his looks - in her opinion, both Ember and Falkner were far more handsome, and Bruce had him beaten in the muscle department. Lance simply had a presence that was stronger than anyone she'd ever met. She couldn't image the world could hold two people like him without them crowding each other. 

When Aurora entered the room, she found the Dragon Master leaning over a desk, giving studious attention to a pile of papers. A young Dratini dozed at his feet. Both of them looked up as the girl and her partner came in. 

"Hello, young lady," said Lance courteously. "Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable. What can I do for you?" 

Aurora perched on the edge of a nearby chair, folding her hands in her lap in an effort to keep them from trembling. "I wanted to talk to you." 

"I surmised as much," he replied, with a small smile. "You are Aurora Cummings, yes? Falkner's apprentice?" 

"That's right," she answered, feeling absurdly pleased that he'd remembered her name. 

"I thought so. I do try to keep tabs on promising young trainers," he answered. "I presume it is no small matter that brings you here? People seldom dare to bother me with trivialities." 

"I would think not!" Aurora blurted, before she could stop herself. She blushed painfully. 

Lance laughed a bit. "Please, don't be nervous around me. I promise I don't bite." 

"I know," Aurora answered. "Begging your pardon, but you're just a little... overwhelming." 

"You'll get used to me," he answered, with a wry smile. "Certainly some of the other Gym Leaders have no qualms about standing up to me." 

"I noticed," answered Aurora. "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." 

"Yes, I thought that might be what this was about. You are a good friend of Ember's, isn't that right?" 

"Yes, sir," she answered. "As much of a friend as he'll let me be, anyway." 

"A good observation," Lance said. "And I imagine you're concerned about those who don't trust him as much as you do?" 

"Yes," she said. Then, with more force than she'd intended to use, "They're _wrong_! Ember has _nothing_ to do with this! They just hate him because he's with the Rockets, but he's still a good person!" 

"I know that," said Lance. "I am his teacher, after all. He comes to me for advice, when things get difficult enough that even he will admit he needs help." 

"He does?" answered Aurora, surprised. She had never imagined that Ember would voluntarily seek help from anyone. 

"What choice does he have?" Lance replied. "He is, after all, only a young man, and he has shouldered a very heavy burden. To be a Gym Leader or a Rocket leader would be enough for any one person to want to handle. Not only is Ember doing both, but he has the strain of trying to balance between the two. It is a task even I wouldn't want to undertake." 

"Giovanni did it, though, didn't he?" asked Aurora. 

Lance chuckled quietly. "Yes and no. He was a Gym Leader in name, but he was always concerned first and foremost with his Rockets. Ember is loyal to his team, but oddly enough, he is loyal to the League as well. It is a strain on him, trying to keep from betraying himself from day to day." He sighed. "I don't blame him for running away. He has already worked himself to near the breaking point trying not to betray the trust I've placed in him, and now he is being accused of doing that very thing. It must be painful for him." 

"Somebody should do something about it," said Aurora. 

"Who?" asked Lance. "Not me. This is a League, you know, not a dictatorship. I am in power only because I have managed to earn a great deal of trust over the years, and have shown a certain amount of skill at diplomacy. Sometimes getting all the Leaders to work together is like herding Abras - any move I make, and a half-dozen of them are going to go taking off in every direction but where I want them to go. Were I to try to force them to do anything, they are likely to turn on me. Do you understand?" 

Aurora sighed. "I guess." 

"Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" 

"No," she said. "I - my friends and I - we were talking. We have an idea." 

"Oh, really? Do tell." 

"Well, _we_ know Ember hasn't done anything wrong. He could even be in danger right now - one leader has already vanished without a trace, and we already know most of the League isn't going to do anything to protect Ember if he's in danger. They aren't going to look for anyone besides him to put the blame for their troubles on. Meanwhile, the _real_ criminal is still running around doing who-knows-what. My friends and I want to do something, but we need your cooperation." 

Lance's face was impassive, showing a cultured calm built up by years of experience. Only a faint glint in his dark eyes told her she might have his interest. 

"What kind of cooperation are you asking for?" he asked quietly. "As I've already said, there is only so much I can do for you." 

"All we want is permission to move around Kanto," asked Aurora. 

"And who is this 'we' you speak of?" 

Aurora began ticking off names on her fingers. "Me. Laine - Elaine Harvester, that is. Lapis Lazuli. Miyuki and Yukiko Moriyama. Nicholas Underhill. Gym Leader Bruce. You know, the young trainers, the ones who know Ember and trust him." 

"And you intend... what?" 

"Well, we _are_ young. Most of us are Apprentices. It makes sense that we'd want to try our hands at the local Gyms, right? As a matter of fact, Falkner himself suggested I take the Challenge while I'm here and get some experience. For that, we're going to need the freedom to move around. Since we'll be the only trainers on the road right now, we'll have the best chance of finding the attacker out of anyone." 

"Hmm," said Lance. "Interesting. Very interesting. I suppose you've considered the danger this plan presents?" 

Aurora shrugged. "I can't speak for my friends, but I've been in danger before. I'm willing to take a chance. I'm sure the others are smart enough to know this isn't going to be easy. They volunteered for this. We'll all be Gym Leaders someday; we ought to be able to protect ourselves as well as anyone, or better. Besides, what kind of Leaders would we make if we were the kind of people who ducked for cover the first time danger showed up?" 

For a moment, Lance said nothing, and she wondered if perhaps she'd managed to put her foot in her mouth. It wouldn't be the first time... 

Then he did something that completely stunned her: he reached out and clapped a hand to her shoulder, beaming like a proud father. 

"It's people like you," he said, "that remind me why I wanted to be a part of this League. If all of your young friends are so admirable, the future is in good hands." 

"So you'll give us permission?" asked Aurora, hardly able to believe her ears. 

"Of course. One moment..." 

He pulled out several fresh pieces of paper and began writing a brief note on each of them in brisk, flowing handwriting, stamping each one with the mark of a Dragonite with outspread wings. Then he handed the stack of paper to Aurora. 

"Here," he said. "Give these to each of your confederates. They give my express permission to travel the continent in order to collect the Gym Badges. Of course, should any of you happen to stumble across something relevant to our investigation..." 

Aurora grinned. "It's our duty to report it, right?" 

"Precisely," answered Lance. "I wish you all the best of luck." 

"Thank you, sir," said Aurora. 

Sensing that her interview with the Champion was at its end, she murmured a polite goodbye and hurried out of the room. As soon as she was safely in the hallway, she closed the door, then slumped against the nearby wall to catch her breath. She hadn't realized until then just how fast her heart was going. 

"Fear fearow?" asked Scar curiously. 

Aurora gave a giddy laugh of relief. 

"I can't believe how well that went!" she said. "Can you believe it? He actually _touched_ me! I thought I was going to pass out! How does Ember stand being around him for any length of time? I think it would be like standing in the noonday sun twenty-four hours a day." 

"Fear, fear, fearow, fear." 

"I know, I am being silly," Aurora replied. "It's a good thing Laine isn't around, or she'd never let me live it down. Come on, let's find the others and tell them the news." 

~*~

She found the rest of her "confederates" hanging around a small garden located not far from the lab - an innocent enough place for a crowd of young people to be relaxing on a sunny day. No one would suspect that any of them were planning anything; the twins had struck up a debate with Lapis and Bruce about the relative merits of Steel versus Rock Pokemon, while Laine sat and scribbled in her trusty yellow notebook and Nicholas meditated in the shade of a tree. When Aurora appeared, she sat down next to Miyuki, to all appearances simply interested in the discussion, and Laine and Nicholas ambled over to join the rest of the group. 

"So?" asked Laine eagerly. "How'd it go?" 

Aurora grinned. "It couldn't have gone better! Lance was very cooperative. He's worried about Ember, too. He's given us all permission to go wherever we need to go." She passed around the sheets of paper Lance had signed. Bruce began reading his aloud. 

"'I, Lance, Champion of the Pokemon League and Leader of the Elite Four, do hereby authorize Gym Leader Bruce to travel freely on the continent of Kanto.' Yeah, sounds pretty official to me. Look, its even got his seal on it. I can't imagine anyone arguing with this." 

"Me neither," said Lapis. She laughed. "And after this is all over, I can tell all my friends I've got Lance's autograph. They'll be jealous." 

"You mean you have friends besides your Skarmory?" asked Nicholas teasingly. 

"You be quiet," said Aurora. "I'd like to see you talk to Lance with that cocky attitude." 

"Now we are authorized to travel," said Yukiko, folding the paper and slipping it inside his jacket. "We must choose destinations, yes?" 

"Good idea," said Laine. She pulled a map out of her bag and spread it out on the ground. "We're here," she said, pointing at Pallet Town. "That's a pretty good distance away from everythin'. We're gonna hafta do some travelin'." 

"Pewter City isn't _that_ far away," said Bruce, trying to read the map upside-down. "I'd like to go there. Bet my Fighting Pokemon can handle Brock's Rocks with one hand tied behind their backs." 

"Of course," said Laine. "You're trainin' a Hitmonlee; he'll just use his feet." 

"I volunteer to go to Ceruelan City," said Miyuki. "Perhaps the young lady Gym Leader will be more open with another like herself." 

"Then I will go to Celedon City," her brother replied. "I do not believe the Gym Leader there cared greatly for our friend Ember; one of us ought to be watching there." 

"I think one of us ought to be in Vermillion City," said Lapis. "That Lt. Surge sounded like trouble to me. I'd feel better if I was keeping an eye on him, and he might trust me a little. After all, some Steel-types are Electric, too." 

"Saffron City should be safe enough under Sabrina's care," said Nicholas thoughtfully. "That leaves me a choice of Fuchsia, Viridian, and Cinnabar." 

"So which is it?" asked Laine impatiently. 

Nicholas grinned. "None of them. If I may, I would like to go to Lavender Town. It is infamous for its ghosts. I may be able to pick up some information from them." 

"Good thinking," said Aurora. "I guess that leaves me and Laine..." 

"I'm goin' wherever you are," said Laine. 

Aurora stared at her. Laine grinned, the old reckless expression she knew from their early acquaintance. 

"What?" she said. "Didja think I'd let you run off on your own? Nah, you'll get in trouble if someone ain't watchin' you. I think that someone oughta be me, seein' as how I've got some experience. It'll be just like the good ol' days when we were bustin' up Rockets together." 

Aurora smiled. "Thanks." 

"No problem. So," said Laine, briskly changing the subject, "where are we goin'?" 

"Cinnabar Island," answered Aurora promptly. "That's where Blaine was last seen. If we go there, we might be able to find some clues as to what happened to him. After that, depending on what we find, we can either keep going towards Fuchsia by way of the Seafoam Islands, or we can back up and head for Viridian City." 

Laine nodded her agreement. "Great! Sounds like fun." 

"So, we're all decided, then?" asked Bruce. The others nodded determinedly. 

"We'll all have to keep in touch," said Lapis. "We should all exchange phone numbers before we go. Aurora can be our coordinator, and keep us all updated on what's going on." 

"Why me?" asked Aurora, taken aback. 

"Because you're the leader, featherbrain!" said Laine. "You cooked up this whole escapade, didn' ya?" 

"Well, yeah..." 

"And you're like an apprentice spymaster already, right? You're supposed to be good at keepin' up with what people are doin', right?" 

"Yeah, but..." 

Scar whapped her with his wing. She jumped, startled, and then laughed. 

"All right, all right!" she said. "I get your point! I guess I don't mind being a coordinator. I don't know about being a leader, but..." 

"You'll work out somethin'," said Laine confidently. "C'mon, already! I'm ready to hit the road again!" 

"All right," said Aurora. "Everybody, watch your backs! If you see anything even a little suspicious, call and tell me!" 

The others nodded their agreement. They entered each other's numbers into their PokeGear telephones. Then, solemnly, they stood up, clasping their hands in the center of the circle for a moment. It was the sealing of a pact. No matter what obstacles arose, Ember's name would be cleared, and the _true_ criminal would be brought to justice. 

~*~

The first obstacle arose before Aurora and Laine had even left the town. Though Aurora knew in her mind that there was a reason why the city was called Cinnabar _Island_, she hadn't seriously considered what that meant in terms of travel. She stood by the edge of the water, staring out at the endless blue waves. 

"Well, _this_ feels familiar," she said. "Don't you wish people would build bridges or something?" 

"Whatsamatter, Rora?" asked Laine. "It's just a little water." 

"Yeah, but none of my birds can swim," Aurora pointed out, "and I can't Fly to somewhere I've never been. The last thing I need is to get lost in the middle of the ocean." 

"Not to worry!" said Laine, flashing her manic grin. "Yours truly has arranged for transportation!" 

"Really?" asked Aurora, cautiously enthusiastic. Laine _had_ mentioned getting some new Pokemon; perhaps one of them knew how to Surf. On the other hand, she'd always had her Slowpoke, who was technically capable of swimming them across the water, but it would be a difficult and wet journey if the two girls had only him to rely on. 

"Sure!" said Laine. "I'm a traveler, remember? I gotta be able to handle a little water once in a while, so I taught one of my favorite Pokemon to Surf. He's gotten real good at it." 

"Who is it?" asked Aurora. 

"Hang on; I'll show ya." 

Laine reached for her belt and opened a PokeBall. There was a flash of orange light - lots and lots of orange light, far too much for a Slowpoke to have caused. It was not a Slowpoke at all. It was... 

"Roadblock," said Laine proudly, "the amazing Surfing Snorlax." 

"Surfing... Snorlax?" Aurora repeated, mildly stunned. She stared at the mountain-like Pokemon before her, thinking he looked like he'd sink like a stone if someone dunked him in the water. 

"Sure!" Laine replied. "I got the idea from the weird old dude who gave me the HM. He was training a Rhydon. They can Surf, too. Just read the guidebook." 

She thrust a book in Aurora's hands, which proved to be a listing of assorted TM's and HM's and which Pokemon could use which one. Sure enough, the listing for "Snorlax" indicated that he could indeed learn to Surf. 

"I see," said Aurora. "Still... why him?" 

Laine shrugged. "Dad was doin' a paper on Pokemon who learn moves against their type. I wanted to finish it up for him." 

Aurora nodded; that made sense. Nothing meant more to Laine than completing her deceased father's work. 

"Anyway, I talked Roadblock into helpin' me a little," Laine continued. "He likes it. He weighs less in the water, so it takes less effort to move around. Roadblock's in favor of anythin' that takes less effort." 

Aurora shot a mistrustful look at the Snorlax, who appeared to have gotten bored of the conversation and fallen asleep. Then again, Snorlaxes had a reputation for falling asleep any time, whether they were bored or not. Laine caught the expression, and then caught Aurora, grabbing her wrist and dragging her toward the somnolent Pokemon. 

"C'mon," she urged. "It's safe; I've done this lots of times" 

The two of them scrambled up onto the Snorlax's back, clinging to his thick fur. They settled themselves in as comfortably as they could. Then they waited. The Snorlax, predictably, did nothing. 

"I think he needs a jump start," Aurora commented. 

In response, Scar flapped over to the Snorlax's rear end and pecked him sharply. Roadblock let out a bellow of pain and surged forward, forcing the girls to hold on for dear life. He splashed into the water with a force that drenched everything for several yards around. However, once he'd paddled into deep water, he settled into a steady stroke that carried them smoothly across the water. Much to Aurora's surprise, the large animal floated like a cork, and his broad back meant that the girls were safe from being splashed, even on the ocean waves. 

"What do you know?" said Aurora. "It works!" 

"Toldja I knew what I was doing," said Laine smugly. 

They sailed easily across the calm water, enjoying the sunshine and fresh salt breezes. Scar amused himself by chasing Magikarp, just barely not snapping them up in his long beak. Laine produced a collapsible fishing rod and began trolling for whatever might be out there. Aurora simply watched the waves slip by, pondering the turn life had handed her. 

*_Well, now I definitely have an excuse to collect Gym Badges!_* she thought. *_It's the perfect cover for me to walk around and see what everyone is up to. Not only that, but I get to do it while there's someone out there trying to kill me again. Lucky me. Just like old times._* 

Just like old times, except... in the old days, she'd always had Ember dogging her trail, getting in her way, watching her back, but always somewhere close by. Now he was gone - who knew where? Objectively, she knew he was probably safe. He was supposed to be one of the greatest trainers in Johto; he wasn't completely helpless! Nevertheless, it just wouldn't be the same knowing he wouldn't be waiting for her somewhere to offer his help and advice just when she needed it most, all the while pretending he didn't care less what happened to her. 

*_But maybe he doesn't care anymore,_* a little voice in her mind whispered. 

Aurora frowned. What was she thinking? Ember was still her friend, wasn't he? Only... he hadn't quite been acting that way lately. He had always sprinkled their conversations with insults and barbs, but they had never been as sharp as he might have liked to think they were. No matter how he had spoken to her in the past, she had known that behind his prickly facade, he really wasn't as bad as he pretended to be. Now, though, there was something different. The last few times she'd spoken to him, there had been nothing behind his voice but iron, nothing to tell her that he didn't actually _mean_ his thinly veiled insults. 

*_Did I do something to make him angry?_* she wondered. *_Or is he just changing?_* 

Maybe he was. After all, they hadn't been able to have an extended visit in three years - almost anything could have happened to him in that time. Maybe the pressure of having to manage all his responsibilities had left him without the energy to devote to her. After all, he had far more important things to worry about than the feelings of one silly girl... 

*_As if I wanted him to feel anything for me!_* 

True, Laine might tease her about her friendship with Ember, but she didn't have any thought that it might ever be anything but a friendship, and a distant one at that. One just didn't get close to Ember. He didn't seem to want anyone close to him. Besides, she was going to be a Gym Leader someday; she couldn't afford to get but so close to the leader of the infamous Team Rocket. Just look how much trouble Lance was in now just for training Ember for a few months! Even, by some wild twist of fate, they did come to care about each other as more than just friendly rivals, it would never work out. 

*_And why am I so worried about him anyway? If he knew I was fretting myself into knots over him, Ember would probably laugh himself sick._* 

She put any thoughts about the missing Rocket firmly out of her mind, instead turning her attention to the horizon. From Laine's map, Cinnabar Island hadn't appeared to be _that_ far from Pallet Town, so she kept a sharp lookout for any sign of it. Within a few minutes, she thought she could make out a dark speck against the horizon - a speck that slowly grew into a sizeable bulge, which gradually revealed itself to be a mountain of black rock. A pale wisp rose above it, a wisp that she had previously mistaken for a cloud. Now she thought it might be steam. 

"Is that a volcano over there?" she asked Laine. 

Laine jumped. "Raticates! You just made me lose that Staryu!" 

"Sorry," said Aurora. "Hey, Laine, look over there and tell me if I see what I think I see." 

"The volcano? Sure," she answered calmly. "I thought you would have known about that. It's been there for years. It erupted some six or seven years back." 

"Seven years back, I was still playing with dolls," Aurora pointed out. 

"Oh," said Laine. "Yeah, so was I, come to think of it. Anyway, the volcano blew its top and buried Cinnabar Island. Just about wiped it off the map. Old Blaine, he had to close down his Gym, on account of it had burned up along with everything else. Poor guy had to do his Gym Battling out of a cave on Seafoam Island." 

"You don't think there's any chance it could blow up again, could it?" asked Aurora, nervously eyeing the tendrils of smoke. 

Laine shrugged casually. "I dunno. Maybe. It hasn't done anythin' but smoke since the last time it blasted off, so I guess odds are pretty good we'll be safe." 

"Good," said Aurora. "Even so, let's not stay any longer than we have to." 

"I'm with you there," Laine replied, folding up her fishing gear and putting it away. "I'm not wild about Cinnabar Island. Dead depressing, bein' around all those burned up buildings." 

Roadblock reached the docks and splashed his way onto land, dripping wet. As soon as he had all four paws on the ground, he shook himself like a dog, spraying wide plumes of water in all directions and completely soaking his passengers. Aurora squealed, Laine shouted a few choice words, and Scar gave a raucous squawk. The Snorlax, unperturbed, plopped his considerable bulk onto the warm sand for a well-deserved nap. Still wiping water out of her eyes, Laine slid down his back, followed closely by her friend. She whipped out his containment Ball and called him back. 

"Roadblock's a great Pokemon," she commented, clipping the Ball back to her belt, "but you don't know what smell is all about until you've been around a wet Snorlax." 

"I'll take your word for it," said Aurora, trying to wring the water out of her clothes. 

Laine caught her expression and shrugged. "Oh, well. Look on the bright side - it's so hot out here, we'll dry in no time flat." 

"Speak for yourself," said Aurora, who was now woefully regarding her sodden hair. The silver-white cascade was her pride and joy, her one real beauty as far as she was concerned. To that end, she cut it only just enough to keep it from dragging the ground; unbound, it hung down to her ankles, and drying it without the aid of a hair dryer and a great deal of brushing could take hours. 

"You need a haircut," said Laine, who's own glossy black hair was neatly confined into two practical buns. 

Aurora tried to squeeze the seawater out of her braid. "Right now, I'm seriously considering it." 

They set about exploring the island. It was a stark contrast to the grassy, tree-lined Pallet Town. After the destruction of the old city, a few plants had managed to make a comeback, but most of them were tough, scrubby things that could survive in the rocky soil and hot sunlight. Few of the flowers that were blooming in the town they had just left could have survived more than a day on the shores of Cinnabar Island; if the heat didn't bake them, they'd be poisoned by the salt water. Most of what could be seen was black rock and sand alternating with the reddish- brown stone that had given the island its name. It might have just been Aurora's imagination, but she almost thought she could smell a hot mineral scent coming from the volcano that loomed high above her. 

Nevertheless, there _were_ signs of life. A few buildings had been erected, built up out of the rock that was so plentiful here. They had a more permanent look than wood could have given them. If the volcano wanted to destroy the island again, it was going to have to work a little for its victory. Aurora picked out the local Pokemon Center, a shop, and a few buildings that looked like they might be dwelling places, and off in the distance, a much larger structure that might or might not have been a Gym. There were few people in evidence. All that could be seen from the docks were a young man loitering around the shop and an old woman sweeping her walkway. 

"You're right," said Aurora. "This _is_ depressing." 

"Yeah," said Laine, peering around. "Y'know, there used to be a great big lab here, years ago. It got ruined in some kinda accident, though, an' it looks like the volcano finished the job. Too bad. I kinda woulda liked to look around." 

"Let's look around over there instead," Aurora suggested, pointing to the large building she had sighted. 

"Why there?" 

Aurora shrugged. "It's the only place in town that looks interesting." 

"Good point," said Laine. "Don't guess we'll find out too much interestin' hangin' around the local Pokemon Center." 

"Fear fear fearow fear," Scar commented. 

"What do you mean by that?" Aurora asked. 

"Fear fear fear." 

"What's he sayin'?" asked Laine curiously. 

"Something about people not minding their own business," Aurora replied. "I don't think he's talking about us, though." 

"Fear fearow fear." 

"He says there are Pokemon hanging around that are too interested in us," said Aurora. "I think he's jealous. As far as he's concerned, he's not my Pokemon, I'm his human." 

"Fearow!" 

Laine took out her binoculars and looked around in a circle. "Well, I hate to argue with you, Scar, but I don't see anything around here but water an' rocks. Any Pokemon who wanna mess with us are gonna hafta come out of hidin' first." 

"Fearow fear fear fear." 

"Well, if they're cowards, that just means they won't want to cause us a lot of trouble," said Aurora. "Come on, let's go." 

They began to walk, their footsteps crunching softly on the black gravel road. The people of the town regarded them curiously, stopping what they were doing to stare at them. And why not? This was obviously a place where very little happened, or even had the potential to happen. They might as well take what entertainment they could from speculating about out-of-town trainers. 

Even so, Aurora felt a little uncomfortable with the attention. She was used to having people in the stadium of a Gym watching her, but that was different. When she was battling, she could focus all her attention on battle strategy, and not worry about a bunch of barely visible faces who watched her beyond the spotlights. It was another thing entirely to have people peering out from behind their curtains at her, as if they suspected she might be a dangerous criminal. The pressure of those unseen eyes made her skin prickle. She jumped as she thought she saw a flash of motion. 

"What was that?" she said. 

"What was what? I didn't see anything," said Laine. 

"I just saw something. Something small and light just ran by," said Aurora, still staring around to try to find it. 

Laine shrugged. "Probably just some local Pokemon. Maybe a Seel. They're light colored, and they don' live far from here. Don' worry about it." 

"Maybe you're right," said Aurora reluctantly, but she didn't feel particular comforted. Scar didn't look like he liked that explanation, either; he continued ruffling his feathers and glaring around as if he hoped to find something to peck. Then again, she told herself, Scar might just be reacting to the possible presence of a Seel who might know Ice moves enough to hurt him. One never could tell with Scar. Nevertheless, she kept her eyes peeled for the pale shape she'd seen, but it didn't appear again. 

At the far side of the island, the path stopped in front of a sizeable building. It was built entirely of reddish stone, its roof slated with the darker volcanic rock, and its outside was graced by two huge statues of rearing Arcanines who served as gateposts. A freshly painted sign was staked out in front, and Laine hurried closer to read it. 

"Cinnabar Island Gym," she read, "also known as the Quiz Gym. Sounds right up my alley. The useless Pokemon trivia I know would fill a book." 

"Write one," Aurora suggested. She was still eying the building. It was actually larger than her home Gym, and more elaborately decorated. The outside walls seemed to have been carved with figures of assorted Fire Pokemon, and the arch over the door was crowned with a gleaming model of Moltres worked with gold and red glass. The overall impression, she thought, was rather gaudy. She wondered if Blaine had tried to make up for losing his old Gym by making the new one as spectacular as possible. 

Her musings were interrupted as the door of the Gym opened, and a young man stepped out. He was dressed from head to toe in crimson and gold, elaborately patterned so that the costume seemed to flicker like flames when he moved. That, added to his flyaway blonde hair, made him look very much like an overgrown Magmar. He gave both girls a haughty look. 

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "This a Gym, not a tourist attraction." 

"That's good, 'cause we ain't tourists," said Laine, her drawl deepening the way it always did when she was annoyed. "For your information, Mr. High-and-mighty, I happen to be a famous Pokemon researcher, and my friend her is an apprentice Gym Leader. I think we have as much a right to be hangin' around here as anyone. Who are _you_, anyway?" 

The young man looked as if someone had done something rude and disgusting in front of him. He glared at the both of them with fierce amber eyes that reminded Aurora of Scar in a very bad mood. 

"For _your_ information, young lady," he said (earning an indignant look from Laine; the man couldn't be more than three or four years older than either of them), "my name is Brand. If you want anything else out of me, you'll have to fight me to get it." 

"Why?" Aurora demanded. "We aren't doing anything wrong. We have permission to be here from Lance himself. We're just trainers collecting Badges." 

"All the more reason to fight me," answered Brand. "This is, after all, a Quiz Gym. We don't give answers here, we ask questions. If you want information, you'd better come prepared to earn it." 

"Can I trounce him? Please, Rora?" asked Laine, her hand reaching for a PokeBall. It was a measure of how annoyed she was at this condescending treatment that she was actually begging for a battle; normally she avoided fights. 

"Me first," answered Aurora. "You can have what's left of him." 

"Big words for a little girl," said Brand. "Should I take that as a challenge accepted?" 

"No," said Aurora. "I'll issue this challenge. You've offended the honor of my friend and of a Pokemon Leader-in-training. You deserve to be taught a lesson. As is my right, I challenge you to a battle of honor." 

Brand laughed. "Well, you don't lack for spirit. All right, step inside and let's get this over with. If I'm lucky, I can wrap this up before tea-time. Though I might not need _that_ much luck," he added, giving Scar an appraising glance. Scar hissed at him. 

They stepped inside. Brand led them up and down a confusing set of hallways, structures that seemed to lead in one direction just to double back and go back the way they'd come. The only explanation she could find for this setup was that there seemed to be a number of doors receded into the walls which could apparently be used to block off sections of the hall. Was this something to make it more difficult to intrude in the Gym? Perhaps to filter out curiosity seekers from the serious trainers? Or did this have something to do with the "quiz" mentioned in the sign? Whatever it meant, Brand ignored it all, bringing her all the way to the end of the maze without incident. In the end, she found herself standing in a surprisingly plain room marked out with the lines of a Gym battle floor. Brand swept over to the far side of the room without looking to see if Aurora was taking her place or not. 

"All right, let's get this over with quickly," he said. "Magmar, go!" 

The flaming beast leaped from its Ball and attacked without hesitating. Fortunately, that was one of the advantages to keeping Scar outside of a Pokeball. He was able to retaliate instantly, driving his opponent back with a Swift attack. The Magmar tried to dodge, but to no avail. For good measure, Aurora ordered a Pursuit, forcing her opponent even further into a corner, where a Drill Peck put him down for the count. Scar flapped back to his partner's side, preening smugly. The whole attack had been so quick that he hadn't even scorched his feathers. Brand looked surprised. 

"So, you do have a skill or two," he said. "Very well, let us try something more challenging." 

He opened a second Pokeball, releasing a Magcargo. Aurora frowned a bit. Being part- Rock, it was resistant to quite a few of her Pokemon... but not all of them. After a swift mental calculation, she recalled Scar and sent Moondancer onto the field. 

The little Pokemon, eager for battle as always, danced with delight at the sight of her slow-moving target. She flitted around the playing field, seeming to vanish from time to time and appear on another side of the room, never staying in one place for long enough for the Magcargo to even get a good look at her. She danced playfully around his head, yipping and tossing her tail, making the creature thoroughly dizzy as it tried to follow her movements. The moment she was sure it had no idea where she was, she switched to attack mode, striking with her sharp teeth everywhere she could land an attack. It finally realized what was going on and tried for an attack, but Moondancer was quicker. She gathered herself for a leap and slammed into him, ignoring his fiery heat and rock-hard shell, to throw him against the wall. Her job done, she added insult to injury by kicking sand on him before trotting back to Aurora for a few words of praise. 

By this point, Brand was looking furious. Even before Aurora had properly collected her Umbreon back into her Ball, he released a flaming Rapidash, a fantastic specimen of its kind that seemed to fill the whole room with its radiance. Aurora forced herself to stand her ground and not back away from its scorching heat. 

"This is going to call for some finesse," she murmured. 

She snapped open a PokeBall to release a swift, flitting shape - her Crobat, Frightful. It flapped around and around the Rapidash, letting out echoing shrieks that confused it. It attempted to attack, stumbled, and fell badly in a tangle of long legs. Frightful took the opportunity to dive at it, attacking in the style of a true vampire bat, going for the animal's unprotected neck. That lasted as long as it took for the Rapidash to collect its wits and get to its feet again. Taking that as his cue, Frightful slapped the horse in the face with his wings, disorienting it just long enough that the bat could retreat to the safety of his PokeBall. 

"And for my next trick...." said Aurora. 

She opened a second Ball, releasing her Murkrow. He sized up the situation, gave a raucous laugh and went to work. Like Moondancer, he had the ability to move around nearly undetected. Unlike her, he also had a taste for being insulting, and he shouted out an assortment of aspersions as he flitted around the room. After a Night Shade attack and a few well-placed pecks, the Rapidash finally gave up the battle. Blabberbeak strutted around the empty field, fluttering his tailfeathers and shouting insults at Brand until Aurora withdrew him. Brand scowled furiously, but no one could argue with the fact that he'd been beaten. 

"Very well," he said with bad grace. "I accept that you do have some talent, and I apologize for any insult I may have given you." 

It was Aurora's opinion that he didn't sound very apologetic to her, but she didn't think goading him was going to make him behave any better. 

"Since you have beaten me," he continued, "law and custom dictate that I must present you with the Volcano Badge." 

Aurora just barely managed not to react, though Laine's jaw dropped open in surprise. 

"You're a _Gym Leader_?" she yelped. 

"Of course," he said, flashing a look of irritation. "Did you think I was some paltry junior trainer who just happened to be hanging around?" 

"Well, yes," said Aurora. "I was under the impression that Blaine was the Leader here." 

Brand looked somewhat uncomfortable. "If you _must_ know, I was Blaine's apprentice. He left the Gym to me a few days ago and took off." 

"You mean... Blaine isn't here?" she asked carefully. 

"No," said Brand, sounding annoyed. "Why? Did you have something you wanted to ask him?" 

"Not... exactly," she replied, thinking fast. "Do you have any idea where he might be now?" 

"He told me he was going to a meeting in Pallet Town," answered Brand. "To the best of my knowledge, that is where he is." 

"I see," answered Aurora. "Thank you for telling me. You've been quite helpful." 

She accepted the Badge he handed her, along with her forfeit, and left the Gym in a thoughtful mood. 

"Well, that was a big waste of time," said Laine. "Well, I mean, you got a Badge and all, but still, we don't know anything we didn' know already." 

"Yes, we do," answered Aurora. 

"We do?" Laine repeated. Scar squawked curiously, as surprised as she was. 

"Yes," Aurora replied. "We know that Blaine installed a new Gym Leader before he left." 

"That's not such a big surprise," said Laine. "I mean, Blaine's been around a long time. He's probably ready to retire by now." 

"Maybe," said Aurora. "But right before this meeting? And without telling anyone - even Lance?" 

Laine frowned. "You're right. That does sound kinda screwy. You think maybe he was _plannin'_ to disappear?" 

"That's exactly what I think," Aurora replied. "The question is, where? And why?" 

"D'ya think he has somethin' to do with all this mess?" asked Laine. 

"I think his disappearance has something to do with it," said Aurora. "He could be in on it... or he could have been threatened, and felt like he had to vanish before he got hurt. Or it could be just a coincidence. We need more information." 

Laine nodded. The two of them walked silently back toward the docks, discussing their future plans in low voices, as if they were half-afraid someone might be listening to them. 

Someone was. And, slipping silent and unseen through the shadows, something followed. 


	3. Stage Three Welcome Home

**Stage Three - Welcome Home**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

After the oppressive heat of Cinnabar Island and the salt-laden winds of the ocean, Laine and Aurora were more than happy to be back on the more comfortable grasslands of Kanto. Currently, they were traveling over the rolling hills that covered the area between Pallet Town and Viridian City. Scar in particular seemed to be enjoying himself; he was a grassland creature by nature, and he appreciated the chance to stretch his broad wings. Spacious as the aviary at the Violet City Gym was, it was no match for the open sky. Likewise, Laine was happy as she always was to be seeing new places and possibly new Pokemon. Only Aurora looked troubled. 

"Hey, lighten up!" Laine urged her. "What's eatin' ya, anyway? Been frownin' ever since we left Cinnabar." 

"I know. I don't quite understand it," said Aurora, coming out of her daze. "It's just that - well - I just can't shake the feeling that someone is watching me." 

Laine gave her friend a stare of disbelief. 

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense," she said. She made an expansive gesture, looking over the empty plains. "I see lots of hidin' places, don't you? You could hide a whole army out here." 

"Don't be sarcastic," said Aurora. "I _know_ there's nowhere anyone could hide. That's what bugs me. I _know_ nobody can be following us, but I can't get rid of the feeling someone _is_." 

"You're crackin' up," said Laine. "You're lettin' all this stuff go to your head." 

"Maybe," Aurora admitted. "I don't feel crazy. I just have this - this _itchy_ feeling, I guess. The way you do when someone is staring at you." 

"Sounds more like poison ivy to me," Laine opined. 

"Well, think about this. Whoever has been making the attacks has been doing it in complete secret. Maybe they do have some way of getting around invisibly." 

"Even if they were invisible - forgettin' for the moment that that's impossible, but _if_, we'd see the grass movin' or somethin'," Laine pointed out reasonably. "I'm tellin' ya, it's just your imagination." 

"I guess you're right," said Aurora. 

She gave a deep sigh and continued walking, but she didn't feel particularly comforted. She still had the tingly feeling that something was very close by, watching her, sizing her up. She didn't think it was her imagination, either - if it was her imagination, wouldn't it go away as soon as she stopped thinking about it? No, there had to be a reason for the way she was feeling. However, a bit of consideration led her to think that whatever was following her, it wasn't harmful. Whatever it was, it was only curious about her - about all three of them, really, and was only trailing them to satisfy its curiosity. Very well, then; if it wasn't going to bother her, it could follow all it wanted. 

*_Though I wish it would show itself,_* she thought. *_I don't like being followed by invisible things._* 

Maybe, she thought, it was a Pokemon. Scar had said there was one watching them on Cinnabar; perhaps it was still watching. Her Murkrow had followed her across most of Ecruteak City before he had made up his mind about her, so it was entirely possible the same thing could be happening now. Then again, any Pokemon wanting to do that would have to have a way of crossing the water between the island and the main continent. Maybe it was a Flying Pokemon. That would explain both its interest in her and the reason she couldn't see it anywhere on the ground. Pokemon tended to be drawn to people with affinities suited to them. Aurora glanced up at the sky, but saw nothing besides Scar and a few fluffy clouds. 

It was not a long walk from Pallet Town to Viridian City, so Aurora wasn't surprised to see a growth of trees becoming more visible in the distance, marking the border of the community. Viridian City, as its name suggested, had intermingled with the nearby forest rather than trying to claim it, so it was difficult to tell from afar where the city left off and the forest began. Drawing nearer, they were able to discern glints of glass and metal through the tree branches, but there were no buildings visible even when they were actually within the trees. 

"This is a nice place," Laine commented. "Kinda reminds me of home, y'know?" 

Aurora nodded. "Hard to believe this was where Giovanni got his start, isn't it?" 

Laine was about to reply, but was cut off by the sound of footsteps behind her. The girls turned to see a boy in a trainer's uniform striding up to them, leading a large Raticate. Neither one of them looked particularly pleasant. 

"What was that about Giovanni?" the boy demanded, doing his best to glare down at Aurora. It wasn't easy; he was rather short and stocky compared to slender Aurora, and his eyes weren't quite level with hers. 

"I said he lived here," said Aurora. "That's right, isn't it?" 

"And why would you be so interested in him, huh?" the boy replied, looking rather irked that he couldn't intimidate her. 

"Has Viridian City ever done anythin' else interestin'?" Laine drawled. "Maybe we should talk about the fall color instead." 

"Don't be so smart," the boy barked. "You two are trespassing! No one is allowed to enter the city, by order of the Elite Four!" 

"It's okay," Aurora said, deciding that soothing him was probably the wisest course of action. "Look, I think this conversation got off on the wrong foot. My name is Aurora Cummings; I'm the apprentice of Gym Leader Falkner, from Johto. This is my friend Elaine - she's a Pokemon researcher. We're here with special permission from Champion Lance." 

The boy looked blank. "I didn't hear anything about a special permission." 

"It's only a few of us who got it," said Aurora. "Look." 

She offered her note for inspection, and the boy took it gravely. He read it over carefully, but was unable to detect anything that might look like a forgery. Glancing from the Dragonite seal on the note to the Johto Gym Badges pinned prominently to her shirt, he apparently decided she might be telling the truth. 

"You're from Johto, huh?" he said. "Yeah, I heard something about a few Johto leaders going to a meeting in Pallet Town. Is that where you came from?" 

Laine and Aurora nodded. 

"That makes sense," said the boy. "Listen, sorry for the misunderstanding. They just told me to walk patrols, you know, and stop anyone from getting in..." 

"That's all right. You did the right thing," Aurora assured him. "You didn't have any way of knowing I was supposed to be here." 

The boy looked a little more cheerful, clearly glad that he had not inadvertently got himself in trouble with a League official. "Well, sorry anyway. They didn't really tell me what to look for, so when I saw you coming, well... you know. Anyway, you can come on in, if you want, but if I were you, I'd keep my head down. Everyone is going to know you're a stranger here. I mean, you kind of stand out." 

"I knew cuttin' your hair was a good idea," said Laine as they continued into the city. "Makes you stick out a mile away." 

"Humph. As if you don't stand out just as much. People will know just by listening to you that you're from Azalea Town." 

"I can talk just fine when I want to," said Laine primly. 

They began to explore the city. Unlike Aurora's hometown of Goldenrod, Viridian City had been built along low lines, with few buildings topping three stories, so that the ancient trees loomed over everything. The effect would be haunting by night, Aurora thought, but in the strong afternoon sun, the city was filled with a green light that was almost magical. The streets, instead of being laid out in neat ninety-degree angles, were instead curved to avoid having to destroy any of the trees. Many of them seemed to lead to dead ends or cul-de-sacs, and the girls found themselves having to backtrack often. Scar complained loudly that the trees grew too low to let him fly properly. 

"How does anyone find their way around this place?" Aurora wondered aloud, as they backtracked out of yet another wrong turn. 

"You mean we're tryin' to find somethin'?" asked Laine. "Gee, an' here I thought we were just sightseein'." 

"We're trying to find information," Aurora reminded her. "I'd prefer if we could find a Gym, but right now, I'd even settle for a Pokemon Center. People who hang around Pokemon Centers are always looking for gossip." 

"Hm," said Laine. She went through her PokeGear and pulled out a map. "Well, let's see... It looks like we're somewhere round about _here_, which would mean the Gym is prob'ly somewhere over in... that direction." She waved vaguely toward a thick clump of trees. Aurora sighed in annoyance. 

"Well, that's helpful," she said. 

Laine threw up her hands. "Hey, it's the best I can do. I didn' plan the stupid city." 

"Oh, well. At least we know what general direction we're going," said Aurora in resignation. 

They set out again. After what felt like hours of wandering up and down side streets and around curving, circuitous roads, they finally came to their destination. The Viridian City Gym sat on a small hill, a bit separated from the other city buildings, and even from the nearby trees; it was the only structure Aurora had seen so far that had an actual lawn instead of a spread of fallen leaves. In its architecture, it was a strange blend of castle and log cabin. At each of its four corners, there stood an enormous tree, fully large enough to drive a car through and standing so tall that it was impossible to guess their true height. Walls had been built between each of the trees, with tree trunks lined up into a fencelike structure. The front door was a great metal thing that brought to mind the portcullis of a castle; the only thing that was missing was a moat. Aurora walked up to the sign that stood outside the Gym, trying to get a good look at it. 

"Viridian City Gym," she read aloud. "Leader: Gary. Well, lucky us." 

"You plannin' on fightin' him?" asked Laine curiously. 

"Maybe," said Aurora with a shrug. "I'd rather talk to him, if I could. For starters, I want to know where he stands on all the issues. He might have some information on the case, for all I know. If he doesn't know anything, then maybe I'll fight him. What does he train?" 

Laine shrugged. "Anything he wants. He's the toughest Leader in Kanto, next to Lance and the Four." 

"Well, at least he won't cheat like Clair did. That's something," Aurora replied. 

She walked up to the door and knocked as hard as she could, trying to make a noise that could be heard through the thick wood. "Hello! Is anyone home?" 

There was no answer. She scowled. 

"Maybe he's not home?" Laine suggested. 

"Somehow, I don't believe that," Aurora replied. She kicked the door. "Come on! I know you're in there. Open up!" 

The door opened a crack, just enough for an eye to peer out. 

"What do you want?" a muffled voice demanded. 

"I want to talk to Gym Leader Gary," Aurora replied. 

"Well, he doesn't want to talk to you," the voice replied, and slammed the door. 

Aurora gawked. "Well, of all the nerve!" She kicked the door again. "You can't treat me like that! I have rights, you know! I'm an Apprentice and a Pokemon Master, and I deserve some respect once in a while!" 

The door cracked open again. The eye looked very annoyed. 

"Look, Johto girl," said its owner. "You might be an Apprentice and a Master and all that, but _I'm_ a Leader and a Champion, and I think _you_ ought to be the one showing _me_ some respect. Got it?" 

"I might be a little more respectful if you'd show me some manners," she replied. 

"People like you don't warrant good manners," said Gary. 

"_Excuse me?_" said Aurora, shocked. 

"I don't have dealings with Rocket supporters," he said. "If you're standing up for that traitor Ember, you're my enemy, and I don't want anything to do with you. Understand?" 

"Look, I am not the enemy! I'm the one trying to _find_ the enemy, and if you think blaming Ember is going to solve anything-" 

Gary began to close the door, but Aurora jammed her foot in the gap. 

"I'm getting annoyed at you," he growled. 

"The feeling is mutual," Aurora replied. "You can't avoid me, Gary! I know my rights! You're a Gym Leader. If I issue a formal challenge, you _have_ to fight me, no matter who I am!" 

"Oh, yeah? Well, you'd better have that challenge written out and notarized, and you'd better be ready to take it to Lance and _make_ me fight you. Otherwise, I'm staying right here." 

Aurora gave a gasp of outrage. "You can't do this!" 

"Just watch me," he answered. "Besides, in case you missed the meeting, we issued an order that no Gym Leader fights with anyone who isn't from their own city. That leaves you out." 

"But Lance gave me permission!" 

"I don't care if Lance gave you the chicken pox! As far as I'm concerned, you aren't getting in this Gym. Goodbye." 

He kicked Aurora's foot out of the way and slammed the door shut. Aurora stood staring, unable to believe what she'd heard. 

"Did you hear that?" she squawked. "How - how dare he!" 

Laine shrugged. "Nobody ever said he had a good attitude. Grandpa said once that he thought the only reason Gary got the Gym Leader job was because Ash wouldn' take it. Nobody woulda trusted Giovanni's apprentice even if he had one, case he was a Rocket, too. Not that that's any excuse for anything. If he'd been talkin' to me that way, I'd have told him to go sit on a Qwilfish." 

"But when did I become the enemy?" Aurora asked. "I didn't do anything wrong!" 

"You stood up for Ember," Laine reminded her. 

Aurora sighed, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. "That shouldn't mean anything." 

"Well, it does. Deal with it." 

"I just don't know what to do," said Aurora. "If only I had some proof... We don't even know where he _is_ right now. If I didn't know him, even I would think he might be guilty. How am I ever going to convince anyone when they think I'm as guilty as he is?" 

"Somethin' will come up. It always does," said Laine encouragingly. 

Aurora nodded, but she didn't feel so sure. She wasn't even sure what kind of proof she was looking for. For the first time, she began to wonder if she might have undertaken an impossible task. Scar, sensing her emotions, preened her hair consolingly, all the while shooting looks at the closed door, leaving no question as to what he'd do to the Leader and his Pokemon if he were allowed inside. 

"Threw you out too, huh?" 

Laine and Aurora both jumped. They had been so involved in their conversation that they hadn't noticed a girl coming up behind them. She looked a bit younger than them, with pale green hair and wide brown eyes. There were three PokeBalls clipped to a sash across her chest, but otherwise she looked friendly and nonthreatening. 

"He threw me out, too," she continued. "He said I wasn't good enough to fight him. Is that what he told you?" 

"Something like that," said Aurora, managing a weak smile. 

"It's not fair, is it?" the girl said. "He told me I needed to start at Brock's Gym, but now that the roads are closed, I can't go there anymore." 

"Are you a new trainer?" asked Aurora, feeling a stab of sympathy. Her own Pokemon journey had nearly been thwarted by her parents' desire to have her stay home and work in their shop. She felt a strong bond to anyone trapped in a similar situation. 

"Yes," the girl said. "I just had my eleventh birthday, and my parents said I could start training, and now this had to happen. Now I can't go to any of the other Gyms, and Gary's too strong for me." 

"Aren't there any other trainers around here?" Aurora asked. 

"Some," the girl replied. "Mostly just bug catchers and stuff." Eyes wide and hopeful, she said, "Would _you_ battle with me?" 

"Um," said Aurora. Most of her regular Pokemon were high-level fighters, hardly appropriate sparring partners for a beginner. "I think I might be a little advanced for you. I mean, most of my Pokemon are level fifty already..." 

The girl's face fell. "_Everybody's_ too strong for me! How am I supposed to be a trainer if I can't find anybody to fight." 

"I'm really sorry," said Aurora. "I wish I could help, but..." 

Laine nudged her in the ribs. "Hey, what about that Natu? Didn'cha say you had a Natu?" 

"Oh, that's right!" Aurora exclaimed. "Say, what's your name?" 

"Ivy," said the girl. 

"I'll tell you what, then, Ivy. I've got a baby Pokemon that needs training. You can battle him." 

"All right!" Ivy cheered. "Okay, let's go! I choose... Oddish!" 

The girl pitched her chosen Pokemon onto the grass, and it appeared in a small burst of light. With swiftness born of long practice, Aurora released the fluttering green bird from his ball and watched him survey the situation. It occurred to her that this was his first actual battle, and she really had no idea how he was going to fight. The idea made her faintly uneasy; she was used to working with her usual battle partners, and she knew all of them as well as she knew her own name. 

*_Well, it's about time you got out of your rut,_* she told herself. *_Berry's up to this; he can handle a Grass/Poison any day of the week._* 

"Oddish, use your Stun Spore!" Ivy ordered. 

The Oddish obliged, showering the area with paralyzing dust. Berry gave a loud chirp, and there was a sudden burst of light that forced the dust away, leaving him unharmed. 

*_Light Screen? I didn't know he could do that,_* thought Aurora. *_When this is all over, I'm definitely going to have to test him!_* 

The Oddish looked a bit dismayed at finding his attack evaded. At the urging of his trainer, he lashed out with a Vine Whip. The attack hit squarely, making Berry fall and hit the ground, but he was not seriously hurt. When the next lash came his way, he was already gone, launching himself back into the air with his short wings whirring. He came down like a bomb, pecking the Oddish sharply. It gave a squeak and toppled onto the grass. 

Ivy was not phased. "Oddish, return! Caterpie, forward!" 

*_She's good,_* Aurora thought with approval. She hadn't expected a girl so early in her career to be so poised. The first time she had seen Scar injured, she'd broken down in tears. Now she watched Ivy as she confidently ordered the Bug Pokemon into battle, directing him to dodge or tackle, or to spit out streams of thread that hampered Berry's flight. *_With some good, strong Pokemon, she could go a long way._* 

Finally, Berry was able to overcome the caterpillar, and the girl withdrew him. Then she sent out a surprise: a Pikachu. Aurora stopped admiring her adversary's skill and started worrying about her Pokemon. Berry was young and untried, and he was already tiring. She didn't think he had the strength left to tangle with a Pikachu at any level. Aurora frowned - she hated losing battles, if only because losing usually entailed her partners getting hurt. She tried to think of something she could do to protect him, when suddenly... 

Laine, who had thus far been watching the battle with only mild interest, was the first to realize something was going wrong. As she watched, she saw Aurora suddenly turn pale and begin to tremble. Then Berry, though unharmed, suddenly gave a shriek and dropped out of the sky. At the same time, Aurora's eyes rolled back into her head, and she slumped to the ground. 

"What the-?" Laine exclaimed. "Hold it! Stop the battle!" 

"Pikachu, return!" Ivy ordered. 

Both girls rushed to Aurora's side, and Laine paused long enough to grab Berry's PokeBall and withdraw the unresisting Pokemon. The trainers crouched next to the fallen girl. Scar wasn't helping; he hopped up in down in agitation, squawking and fluttering his wings, until Laine shoved him aside and told him sharply to be quiet. 

"Is she all right?" asked Ivy, eyes wide and worried. 

"Dunno," said Laine. She touched her friend's wrist briefly. "Her pulse is okay... and she's still breathin'... Somethin' must be wrong, though." 

"I know where there's a doctor," Ivy volunteered. "He lives close by. Can we get her there?" 

"Prob'ly," Laine replied. "Lemme see here... Aha!" 

She chose a PokeBall and opened it, freeing Nova the Machop. At Laine's instruction, he grasped Aurora by the shoulders and lifted her up off the ground, while Laine took her feet. Once they were situated, Ivy began leading them back down the twisted streets of Viridian City. 

"You hang in there," said Laine to her unresponsive friend. "Just hang on a few minutes, and we'll get you some help." 

Aurora did nothing, and Laine frowned. She didn't know much about human physiology, but she had a gnawing feeling that this couldn't be good. 

~*~

Aurora was unaware that anything was wrong. All she knew was that one moment, she had been watching a fight, and the next moment, she had been somewhere else. Where, she was not exactly sure, though she had a feeling of altitude, as of looking down at the world from a great height. She wasn't particularly bothered by the sense of hanging unsupported in midair. It was a very similar sensation to what she felt when she was flying with Scar, and it never occurred to her that there might be anything wrong with it, not when there were more interesting things going on. 

At least wherever she was, the scenery was interesting. Directly in front of her loomed a mountain, an enormous edifice of silvery-gray stone, so tall that the clouds wrapped around its middle, while the peak thrust into the sky, glittering with a crown of white snow. Was it snow? Aurora tried to move closer, for a better look. There appeared to be a building up there - a Gym, that was it. A Gym on a mountaintop? She'd never heard of such a thing before. Why would there be a Gym at the top of a mountain, without even a road to reach it? The light was coming from the Gym, filling the sky with pure white radiance. Even as she came to that realization, the light began to dim, and the world became darker and darker until everything was pure black... 

_...will put a stop to it. This barbaric practice must..._

That was all. The vision ended, and Aurora dropped into a void of dark and silence. 

~*~

Aurora awoke to voices. At first, she thought they might be related to the one that had spoken to her just before she'd passed out. That voice, however, had been mature, male, and unfamiliar, the one that she heard now was none of those. 

"...goin' t'be okay?" That was Laine's voice, sounding rather thick, as if she was fighting not to cry. 

"I can't find a thing wrong with her," answered another woman's voice. That one was unfamiliar, but pleasant. Aurora thought vaguely that she would like to hear her singing. "If she's not awake by the time my husband gets home, we'll take her to the hospital, but, I think it most likely she just got a little overexcited. You say she's been under a lot of stress lately?" 

"Yeah," said Laine. "You could say that." 

"Well, we'll just give her a few minutes to rest, then," answered the unfamiliar woman briskly. "Really, you don't have to worry. She's in good hands." 

There was no comment, but Aurora heard a noise that sounded like someone blowing their nose, and somewhere in the background, she could hear Scar muttering to himself. Aurora thought it might be a good idea to wake up and tell them she was all right, really, other than having a terrible headache. 

*_What happened to me, anyway?_* she wondered vaguely. *_I've had this feeling before, but I don't really remember when..._* 

Now that she was awake and more aware of herself, her headache was asserting itself to the point where she couldn't ignore it. She winced and whimpered a little. 

"There, you see?" said the woman. "She's coming around now. Don't worry, young lady. You're with friends. How are you feeling?" 

"Headache," Aurora croaked. She managed to blink her eyes open and sit up. "I'm okay, really. I've just got the worst headache, that's all." 

"Hm. We might have to look into that," said the woman. "No problems otherwise? No double vision? Not feeling any numbness?" 

"Just a headache," said Aurora. 

She looked around, taking stock of her new situation. She was not, as she had expected, in a doctor's office or anything even remotely medical. Instead, she appeared to be lying on a sofa in someone's living room. It was a much more pleasant location than she had been expecting, sunny and clean, with vases of flowers on the mantlepiece. Nor was the woman sitting on the footstool across from her someone who looked like a nurse. She had the look of someone who had just come in from gardening; there was a pair of leather gloves lying on the coffee table next to her, and she was dressed in denim overalls and a T-shirt. She had long dark hair that hung down on either side of her face like a curtain, and her features were clever and catlike. Most striking of all were her eyes, which were a vivid blue. Aurora had the oddest feeling she had seen those eyes before. 

"Who are you?" she managed to ask. 

"My name is Fiona Greensward," the woman replied. "My husband is a doctor here in Viridian City. Your friends brought you to me after you passed out." 

"Oh," said Aurora. The name didn't mean anything to her, but she still got the oddest feeling of familiarity every time she looked at her. 

"Ya had me worried there, Rora," said Laine. "Next time, warn me before ya do that!" 

"If I had known I was going to do it, I would have," Aurora replied. "What did I do, anyway? I don't remember..." 

"You were havin' a battle," Laine prompted. "The next thing I know, ya went white as a sheet, an' then you passed out. Hadda drag you all the way over here." 

"Hm," said Aurora. "You didn't see anything weird? No strange Pokemon, or-" 

She was cut off by the sound of a door opening and closing, and footsteps. 

"Mom, I'm home! I got the things you wanted," called a voice. 

"That's fine. Just put them on the shelf, and then come in here. There's someone I'd like you to meet," Fiona called back. Turning back to the girls, she said, "That's my son. He's been out grocery shopping... What has gotten into you two?" 

Both Laine and Aurora were staring at each other with identical shocked looks. A moment later, Fiona's son came into the room. 

"What is it you-?" he began. Then he stopped. He stared. His eyes narrowed. 

"I shouldn't be surprised, at this point, to see you here," he said. 

Aurora sighed. "Hello, Ember. Nice to see you again." 

"Dare I ask how you ended up in my living room? Another bizarre coincidence, or do you have a homing device planted on me?" 

"We didn' know you were here," said Laine. 

Ember gave her an annoyed look. "I live here." 

Mrs. Greensward was looking from her son to her guests and back again. 

"I take it you know each other?" she said. 

"Something like that," Ember replied, looking as if he'd bitten a lemon. "That young lady on your sofa is the Aurora I've told you about. The one with the atrocious accent is her sidekick." 

"You say that like it's an insult," said Laine. "Gyaradoses are atrocious, an' you like them fine." 

"Yes, but they don't talk," Ember retorted. 

His mother shook her head. "I can see this is going to be an interesting afternoon." 

Aurora was silent; her head was still aching too much for her to want to take part in a conversation. Now that she had both of them present for conversation, she could see the resemblances between Mrs. Greensward and Ember. She was amazed she hadn't recognized those intense eyes. Perhaps it was because Mrs. Greensward lacked his vivid hair coloring. 

The tension was broken by an inquisitive squeak, and a small Dratini wiggled her way into the room. She crawled up to Ember's side and twined lovingly around his legs, chirping in a language only he understood. She appeared fairly young, no more than a level ten by Aurora's best guess, small and dainty. Her sky-blue hide was crisscrossed by silvery markings. From a distance, they would have appeared as only abstract markings, a rather attractive arrangement of shimmering patterns. It was only under a close inspection that one would realize that they were in fact scars, left by the beatings of a cruel mistress. 

"Oh, is that the Dratini you took from Clair?" asked Aurora, eager to change the subject. 

"Yes, this is Skystar," Ember answered. He bent to pick her up, and she settled around his shoulders like a thick blue scarf, nuzzling his ear affectionately. 

"She seems to really like you. You must be training her well," said Aurora. "Funny, I'd have thought she would be a higher level by now." 

"I take good care of her, but I don't _train_ her," Ember replied, with a touch of frost. Thawing a bit, he added, "She's really more of a pet than a partner. I didn't think it would be right to force her to fight, not after how Clair treated her." 

Aurora nodded her understanding. The movement set off her headache again, and she winced. 

"Maybe I should get you something for that," said Mrs. Greensward. She rose and exited the room - hopefully in search of headache medication. Aurora leaned back against the sofa cushions and waited for the pain to abate. 

"Say, you aren't sick or something, are you?" asked Ember, frowning a bit. 

"Boy, aren't you astute?" Laine answered. 

"Well, you were fine the last time I saw you," Ember said. "What did you do, get on someone's bad side again? It wouldn't be the first time you convinced someone you needed a good bash over the head." 

"We dunno what happened to her," said Laine. "She just passed out - in the middle of a fight, too. Ya know she wouldn' pass up a good fight if she could help it." 

"I wish I knew what happened," Aurora added. "It has me worried... Something strange is going on." 

"Don' worry about it," said Laine soothingly. "It's prob'ly just nerves, like she said." 

Aurora shook her head. "No, it's more than that. I've felt like this before. It's just like when I was talking to Articuno. I had a vision then, and then I passed out, and then I woke up and felt like this." 

"I am not completely sure I'm following you," said Ember. "The way you say you had a vision then seems to imply you had a vision now, too." 

"I did," said Aurora stubbornly. 

Ember narrowed his eyes. "What kind of vision?" 

Aurora told them what she remembered about the strange sight she'd seen. The others listened with expressions of skepticism. 

"I dunno, Rora," said Laine. "Sounds jus' like what Sabrina was talkin' about at that meeting. You musta remembered it and dreamed about it." 

"What about the voice?" Aurora persisted. "I know I've never heard a voice like it before. I could hear it so clearly, it was like he was there talking to me. It was a man's voice - an older man's, I think, and it had a sort of an accent to it, very clipped and precise. He sounded tired and angry." 

"That sounds detailed enough to have some weight to it," Ember mused. 

"I still dunno," said Laine. "I haven' studied much about dreams, but I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that people tend to embroider 'em after they wake up - you know, to make 'em make more sense." 

"I didn't make anything up," said Aurora. "I don't need to. It was all perfectly clear, just like I was there." 

"Well, we can forget about you receiving input from a powerful Pokemon," said Ember. "I'd believe it if we were near the roost of something like that - someplace like Lavender Town or Ecruteak or even Azalea Town. They have their local legends, but I've lived my whole childhood here and never heard so much as a story of a legendary Pokemon living here." 

"Just 'cause you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it's not there," Laine told him, with a hint of scorn. "It's not like you're an expert or anythin'." 

"And you are?" he asked. 

"No," she said. "I'm just sayin' you shouldn' say somethin's not there because you don't know it is." 

"I suppose there's some logic buried in there somewhere," said Ember. "Well, then, I suppose we know what to do about that." 

"What?" asked Aurora. 

"What people have ever done in moments of uncertainty," he replied. "We ask someone." 

"That makes sense," said Laine, in a tone that implied he was stating the obvious. "Who?" 

There was a moment of silence. Then Aurora said, "How about Morty?" 

Ember blinked. "Was that a random suggestion, or is there some reasoning behind it you'd like to tell us about?" 

"I thought you knew," said Aurora. "He's interested in Legendary Pokemon - it's why he took up training in the first place. He believes that legend that a Legendary Pokemon can only be seen by a great trainer with a will to see it. I know because he gave me a book about the Legendary Birds for Christmas last year, and he mentioned something about it." 

"What did you give him?" Laine wanted to know. 

"That's hardly relevant," said Ember. "Anyway, it's useful to know who the local expert on Pokemon mythology... and since you're obviously close enough to him to get presents from him at Christmas, _you_ can be the one to write him and ask him if he knows anything about a local legend." 

"All right," said Aurora, nodding agreeably. Then she winced. "After this headache clears up enough that I can see straight." 

"Fair enough," said Ember. "I'll be curious to see what he says. If there's a Legendary Pokemon lurking around, it will be news... and then there's another possibility." 

"Oh?" 

"It could be something new - something none of us have heard of before," Ember said. "On the other hand, you could have just had some kind of fit..." 

Aurora gave an exasperated sigh, and Scar scolded him. He looked affronted. 

"Well," he said. "It's obvious someone doesn't want me around. Very well. I'll leave you to your rest. I'm going outside." 

With that, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, with Skystar following bemusedly behind him. 

"Touchy, ain't he?" Laine commented. 

"It's okay," said Aurora. "I was getting a little tired of the argument, anyway. I probably could use a minute to collect myself. I might just lie down for a while, if that's okay with you." 

"That's fine," said Laine. "You just take care of yourself. Y'know, I'm kinda paranoid about people gettin' sick... like my mom did." 

"I'll be okay," Aurora assured her. "I just need to rest a while... Oh, and by the way." 

"Hm?" 

"I got Morty a statue salvaged from the old Pokemon Tower, after they tore it down to build the radio station. It seemed like his sort of thing. He loved it." 

~*~

About an hour later, Aurora was roused from a light doze by the sound of a door opening and closing. She sat up, feeling faintly groggy and disoriented. She had been dreaming vaguely of forests full of mystical Pokemon that she could only half-see - Articuno shrouded in chill fog, Zapdos glowing too brightly to look at, Moltres surrounded by flame and smoke, and others she didn't know as well and couldn't identify. It was disorienting to open her eyes and find herself in an unfamiliar sitting room with only Scar for company. He croaked worriedly and ruffled his feathers. 

"I'm okay," she assured him. "Really, I feel loads better after that nap. What's going on?" 

"Fear, fear, fear," he said, pointing his beak in the direction of the front door. 

"A stranger? I don't think it's anyone dangerous." 

"Fear!" said Scar, clicking his beak. It was obvious he didn't want any strangers messing with his trainer while she was unwell. Aurora laughed. 

"Don't be such a fussy old grandma," she said. 

She got up and was pleased to see that the room no longer spun around when she moved too quickly. Obviously whatever had happened to her wasn't going to leave behind any lasting effects. Heading in the direction Scar had pointed, she was just in time to see an unknown but not utterly unfamiliar gentleman hanging his coat on a coatrack in the front hall. 

"I'm home! Where is everyone?" he called. 

"I'm in the kitchen, Ember's in the garden," Mrs. Greensward called back, "and there should be a patient for you in the living room if she hasn't wandered off." 

"A patient? That's a new sort of house call, isn't it?" he commented. He turned and caught sight of Aurora for the first time, though she hadn't been standing that far out of his line of sight. "Hello. Are you the patient?" 

"Yes," she said. "Well, I guess. I'm Aurora Cummings." 

"Arnold Greensward. A pleasure to make your acquaintance," he answered gravely, offering a hand to shake. "Haven't I heard your name before?" 

"Ember might have mentioned it. We're sort of friends." 

"Yes..." said Mr. Greensward, a shadow crossing his already serious face. "Our son has great need of his friends, I believe." 

Aurora couldn't think of a reply; she wasn't sure she was expected to make one. Instead, she used the lull in the conversation to make a closer inspection of her new acquaintance. He was a nice-looking man - not the kind of good-looking that turned heads, but _nice_-looking, the kind of trustworthy expression that would have made anyone glad to put their loved ones in his care. It might have been something in his eyes. They were blue, but not the same vivid blue as his wife and son's, but pale and distant, as if the mind behind them was always on some concern that was not of this world. Their seriousness was further enhanced by a pair of frail-looking glasses perched on a long straight nose. His hair, like Ember's, was flaming red, but it was short and neatly clipped. 

There was, Aurora thought, something noble and statuesque about his facial features, and she could see where his genes had gone into Ember's makeup, but she thought he was lacking something that the other two members of his family had. It was that sense of quickness, sharpness, shrewdness, some indefinable edge that seemed to be the mark of the Giovanni side of the family. After finishing her inspection of the head of the Greensward household, she decided that he was a nice man, but nothing to write home about, and she wondered if Fiona might have done better. Then she thought about what it might be like for her to try to live with someone as strong-willed as herself and thought perhaps Mrs. Greensward had the right idea, after all. 

"Well," said the doctor, breaking into her thoughts, "if my wife is calling you a patient, there must be something wrong, but I must say you're looking quite well. Would you mind filling me in on why you're here?" 

Aurora explained briefly what had happened, leaving out any mention of the vision she'd had. He had her sit down on the sofa again so he could take her pulse and shine a light in her eyes, asking questions. She tried to sit still and live up to the title of patient, despite the fact that she was getting very tired of people worrying about her. It was a relief when he finally finished. 

"There doesn't appear to be anything immediately wrong with you," he said at last. "I think we can safely pass this off as an isolated incident, but if it happens again, don't hesitate to get help. Other than that, if you're feeling all right..." 

"If she's feeling all right," Fiona's no-nonsense voice interrupted, "she can come in and have dinner with the rest of us. Go wash your hands - go on!" 

The doctor, looking rather reluctant to have his patient taken from him, went to obey his wife's orders. Aurora saw the benefits of going to find the dining room, and Scar hopped hopefully behind her. 

Dinner with the Greenswards was, in Aurora's opinion, the only thing that went smoothly that entire day. Ember had returned from his walk and seemed to be in a better temper than when he'd left, enough so that he was able to make polite conversation. Fiona served salad from her own garden and a homemade noodle casserole which everyone, Scar included, agreed was delicious. Laine entertained them all with stories about the things she and her father had seen when they'd traveled the world together years ago. Altogether, it was a pleasant meal. 

"Gonna be a while before we have a meal like this again," said Laine. "Home cookin's one of the things you miss while you're traveling." 

"Well, you will at least stay for breakfast tomorrow," said Fiona. 

"Oh, no, we couldn't impose on you like that," Aurora replied. "You've done so much for us already..." 

"Nonsense," she answered briskly. "I will not turn you out to wander in the dark. Get a good night's sleep and a decent meal, and then you may leave." 

"It's only hospitable," Mr. Greensward agreed. "By the way, would anyone like a game of cards after dinner?" 

Ember's expression said that this was one of the things one had to do to preserve the peace with one's family. "As long as it's not Go Fish again." 

"Does anyone know how to play Mah-Jongg?" Aurora asked. "If there's a computer I can use, I'll get my set." 

"That sounds interesting," said Mr. Greensward. "I'm willing to give it a try." 

"It's fun. My dad taught me," Laine said. "It's best with four players, though, and there's five of us." 

"I'd love to play, but unfortunately, someone has to wash the dishes," said Fiona. "Perhaps Ember would oblige you." 

Ember shrugged. "It sounds more dignified than Go Fish, anyway." 

Mr. Greensward directed her to his computer, and she went to access her storage unit. Within seconds, she had downloaded her very own personal Mah-Jongg tiles, safe in their leather box. It was a nice set, a birthday gift from her mentor, with fanciful designs painted on the tiles. Instead of the classical bamboo rods and circles, they were decorated with rows of feathers or spotted with eggs, no two alike. The three Dragons had been replaced by pictures of the birds of fire, ice, and lightning. 

The players gathered around the coffee table and had the rules explained to them, and play began. It turned out to be an interesting game. Aurora and Mr. Greensward had some moderate successes, but Laine, whether through skill or phenomenal luck, managed to leave them all in the dust. It became painfully clear that Ember had no aptitude for the game, and ended up with a negative score of several hundred when the game was over. When a new game was proposed, he declined, saying he preferred to go out to the porch for a breath of fresh air. Mr. Greensward said he had work to do in his room, so Laine and Aurora were left to clean up. 

"I didn' do too bad, considerin' I haven't played in a while," said Laine, as she crumpled up the scoresheet and pitched it into a wastebasket. 

"I feel sorry for Ember," said Aurora. "He doesn't like losing." 

"He should stick to Pokemon battles," said Laine. 

"I still feel sorry for him," Aurora said. 

"Aw, come off it. You know him - he likes feelin' sorry for himself. This is just a good opportunity for him," said Laine. "I've got an idea - instead of mopin' about it, why don' you go outside and talk to him?" 

"Huh?" 

"You know. You say some words at him, he says some words at you. Talk. You haven' done it in a while, not really. I know you're worried about him." 

Aurora started to say something, and was deterred by a nudge from Scar. 

"I guess maybe I am a little worried about him," she admitted, "and I guess we really do need to talk sooner or later..." 

"So talk," said Laine. "I'll finish cleanin' up." 

"Thanks, Laine," said Aurora. "I'll owe you one." 

She scampered off, leaving Laine and Scar to finish cleaning up the mess. He looked after her, pondering whether or not he should follow, and then apparently decided that even she needed some privacy sometimes. 

"Whaddaya think, Scar?" said Laine. "Those two ever gonna hammer out their issues?" 

"Fear," he said resolutely, and began dropping tiles into the box, picking them up deftly in his long beak. Laine watched him. 

"You sound pretty sure of yourself," she said, "but was that a yes or a no?" 

~*~

The city that had been confusing and overwhelming by day took on a new atmosphere by night. The stars peeked through the tops of the trees, winking on and off like tiny silver fireflies. The moon, nearly full, sent down shafts and puddles of mysterious lights, as if it particularly wanted someone to notice that patch of white flowers or the way the wind played across that puddle. In the distance, the more earthly lights added a golden glow to the scene. Night birds called softly, and the crickets and tree frogs played a soothing melody. 

Aurora found Ember enjoying this sight from his back porch, perched with the ease of long practice on the railing, back braced against a supporting post. He didn't appear to notice Aurora as she came outside, though the door squeaked audibly. She approached him with hesitation. 

"Are you okay?" she asked. 

"I thought you were the one we were supposed to be asking that question." 

"I'm tired of it. I feel just fine, and I wish everyone would quit worrying about it," she replied. "I'm more concerned about you." 

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" 

"There you go, doing it again! What did I do to you that's making you act like this?" She sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. You aren't going to tell me. You're going to hang around acting like I'm stupid for not knowing in the first place. Let's try again. What are you doing out here?" 

"Just thinking. That's all." Ember was still looking at the sky instead of her. 

"I thought you were mad because Laine beat you." 

He chuckled softly. "I admit it embarrasses me to be beaten so badly... but parlor games were never my specialty. My father liked us to play games after dinner in the name of quality time, but I never got anything out of it but a dislike of Go Fish." 

Teasingly, she said, "I thought Rockets were supposed to be card sharps." 

"Yes, with poker and blackjack and other civilized games," Ember replied. "Did you ever hear of a gangster who played Go Fish?" 

"Well, I guess not," she replied. "So... I guess you just came out... to get away from the rest of us." 

"Something like that." 

"Something really is bothering you," said Aurora. "You haven't been acting like yourself. I mean, _now_ you are, but lately... I don't know. You've got this wall around you, and I can't figure out what you're thinking anymore." 

"I have a lot on my mind," Ember replied. 

"Yes... Lance said you did." 

"You talked to Lance?" asked Ember, with a flicker of interest. 

"I was concerned," she answered, choosing her words carefully. "He seemed to be the best person to talk to." 

"Hm," said Ember. It was hard to tell in the semidarkness, but she thought she saw him relax slightly. 

"He said you're under a lot of stress," said Aurora. 

"That's one way to put it," Ember replied. 

"So, how are you getting along? You know, with being a Gym Leader and the Rocket boss and all." 

"It's a challenge," he said. "Not that I didn't know it would be when I stepped into it. Most of the time I enjoy it. It's an interesting job, trying to keep a pack of lawbreakers in line. I've got a collection of bored businesspeople, rebellious teenagers, social outcasts, and hardened criminals, and I'm the one who has to find work for them to do that won't get us all in trouble, will keep them happy, and will hopefully bring in some revenue for the Team." 

"I don't think I could do it," said Aurora. "I'm sure you're good at it, though." 

"I manage." He sounded mildly pleased. "I had to teach a few lessons when I first took over, but they learned fast. They're conditioned to obey someone who acts like a leader. Actually, they're sometimes less trouble than the supposedly civilized people I work with..." 

"You mean the League, don't you?" 

His shoulders tensed again. "Congratulations. How did you guess?" 

"I just took a shot in the dark," she answered dryly. 

He shifted positions, letting his feet dangle over the side of the porch, and sighed deeply. "There are days when I'd gladly give the position away to anyone who wanted it. Sometimes I just want to go up to Lance and tell him he made a mistake, that I can't handle this... I suppose you think I'm a bit of a coward, running away and hiding in my parents' house as soon as things get tense." 

"I'd never think you were a coward, Ember. You're one of the bravest people I know." 

He laughed, as if not quite believing what he was hearing. "I'll let that pass only because I know how you think. You only see the good in people. You think everyone is better than they are. I don't know if it's a divine gift or insanity." 

"You are brave," she insisted. "You put everything you had on the line for what you believed in. What's brave if that isn't?" 

"Sticking with what you've started, after the dramatic moment is over," Ember replied. "I don't mind, most of the time - I know I'm the only one who can do what I'm doing. The League doesn't know it, but they need me. They need me to be their link between their world and the underworld. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to do it alone..." 

"You aren't alone, though, are you?" asked Aurora, confused. 

"Do you think so? No one is ever on my side. My family didn't want me to join Team Rocket. Giovanni didn't want me to have any ideas of my own. The League doesn't want me to be a part of them at all. As a Leader, I've got every trainer in the world trying to beat me, and as a Rocket, I've got everyone trying to wipe out everything I've worked for. Who else have I got left?" 

"More than you think," said Aurora stubbornly. 

Ember laughed again. "Like who? You? I used to think so. You know, you were perhaps the first person to stand behind me a hundred per cent. You called me a friend, and I believed you. Then what happened? You got your apprenticeship and ran off with Falkner, and that was the last I heard of any of that. The only time I ever saw you after that was when business required it - or when Falkner had some errand he wanted you to run for him. And what about me? I used to think sometimes that maybe you would remember what I told you that last day we fought together. Do you remember? I told you I needed you to come back, and you never came." 

He finally turned around, letting her meet his eyes. She had always remembered them as being his most compelling feature, but they had never looked as intense as they did now, and she quailed away. The eye contact only lasted a second, but in that moment, she was suddenly struck by just how deeply and how carelessly she had betrayed him. She stared at the floor. 

"I - I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know." 

"You didn't think about it," he corrected. 

"Yes. You're right." 

"I'm glad you admit it." He went back to staring at the darkness. "So now that you have your question answered, you can go away." 

"Not speaking to me isn't going to make you any less lonely." 

"Speaking to you isn't going to do me any good, either. If I meant anything to you, you would have kept your promise." 

"I have," she said. "I might have made some mistakes, and I might be late in getting here, but I didn't forget you and you're still my friend. And I'm here now." 

"Yes, you're here, all right," he said bitterly. "Here looking for someone to help you. You didn't come looking for me - you had no idea I was here." 

"Just because I didn't know you were here doesn't mean I wasn't looking for you," she replied. "Ember, listen to me a minute. Do you know why I'm here - when it's illegal right now for trainers to be wandering around Kanto?" 

He turned to look at her in surprise. "It is? Nobody told me that." 

"Lance made it official the day after you left. No trainer is allowed to leave their home town, and no Gym Leaders are allowed to compete with outsiders." 

"Then what are you doing here?" 

"Just like I said - I was looking for you... and looking out for you, too." 

"You're going to have to explain that a little more clearly," said Ember. 

"It's like this," she said. "Half the League is convinced that you're behind the attacks, but some of us - the young ones, the ones who know you - know it's someone else. The Leauge pushed Lance into saying they ought to track you down for further questioning, or whatever. You know they really just want to find a way to pin all the blame on you, and they'll never find out who's really behind all this until it's too late. That's not right, and it shouldn't happen, so a bunch of us got together and decided that we needed to find you and warn you, and then we need to find whoever is _really_ behind this. I talked Lance into giving us all special permission to travel and look for clues." 

Ember gave her a long, hard stare. "Why are you putting yourself through all this?" 

"You ought to know. It's because I believe in the League, and because I want to see justice done... and because I wanted to help you." 

"I see." He went back to his stargazing. Aurora gaped at him. 

"Is that all you're going to say?" 

"What more do you want?" he asked. 

"For starters, to see you stop feeling sorry for yourself," she said. "Even if - even if you're still angry at me, what about the rest of the League? What about the other ones who are trying to help you - Bruce and Nick and Lapis and all them? They're making targets of themselves, being the only trainers on the road right now. They're putting their lives on the line, and part of it's for your sake. You can still help us." 

There was a long silence. Then: "Should I get the feeling I'm being taken advantage of again?" 

"No." Aurora was getting angry. "I am sorry for how I treated you - I really am, but this isn't about you and me. This is about saving innocent lives and stopping the whole Pokemon League from falling apart. Is that worth anything to you? Because if you back out now," she said, "I might have to decide you really are a coward, after all." 

"Well," he said softly, "I'd hate for you to start thinking that. I suppose you're right. I have been a bit self-centered about all this... and you will need Team Rocket's help. All right. Consider me back from my vacation." He slid off of the railing, landing with a muffled thump on the leaf-strewn ground. 

"Where are you going?" she asked in confusion. 

"I'm going to work, of course," he replied. "That's what you wanted, isn't it? Besides, if the League is looking for me, this is too obvious a hiding place. I'm going to need to go underground as soon as possible... Besides," he added, as an afterthought, "there aren't enough places in this house for all of us to sleep. Far be it from me to make a lady sleep on the floor. Tell my mother I'm gone. Tell her I said one of you could borrow my room for the night." 

"Does this mean you'll forgive me?" she asked. 

He turned to look back at her. He smiled faintly. 

"All right," he said. "Just don't let it happen again." 

"I won't," she said. "Next time you miss me, come find me. I'll be waiting." 

"That sounds fair," he said. "Well, I'm off. I'll see you when I see you. Take care of yourself, Winter-Hair." 

"See you around, Fire-Top," she answered. 

He waved a casual goodbye over his shoulder as he trotted through his mother's vegetable patch. Within moments, he had vanished into the trees and shadows. Aurora lingered a moment longer, staring up at the stars and thinking... 

~*~

Viridian City at night was a good time and place for shadows. The Pokemon liked shadows. It also liked stars and moonlight and soft breezes, and this place had all three in abundance. The Pokemon chirped his approval of the overall setup as he looped and glided through the treetops. Treetops were nice places, with lots of branches for sitting on or hanging from or looping around and over. The Pokemon executed a few figure-eights through the pine trees just for the fun of it. He laughed, and his voice sounded to the people of the sleepy city like the call of a night bird, and his passing was the sigh of the wind. 

The Pokemon approved of the humans it had found, too. It had been a long time since the Pokemon had found someone who lived up to his standards: a dedicated trainer who loved her friends and her Pokemon, someone who desired not just to win, but to win gracefully. Not only did the girl with the sea-spray hair have these qualities, but she had that other quality he particularly liked, the wide-eyed innocence and the belief that all things would turn out right in the end. As for the one with the flashing dark eyes, well, the Pokemon didn't put much stock in the idea of reincarnation - a soul was unchanging and unchangeable, so why send it back to be recycled again and again? - but the similarities between her and Chie were striking. Chie and Ichiko, the First Trainers... Those two had forged the bond between Humans and Pokemon; perhaps these two girls would save it from being shattered. 

After all, someone had to, and these girls were as good as any. Keep watching, keep nudging in the right direction... For someone as ageless as this Pokemon, waiting was easy. Nevertheless, time was still important. An Ancient Pokemon might wait forever, but the Faceless One wouldn't, nor the Man with the White Hands. Whoever they were. The Pokemon sighed and settled onto a branch to watch again, and Aurora, as she went into the house, thought she heard a bird coming to roost in a nearby tree. 


	4. Stage Four Unsettling Discovery

**Stage Four - Unsettling Discovery**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

A cold wind was blowing, its mournful wail echoing through the room. It suited the man's mood to live here, where it seemed that the air itself was eternally in mourning, crying with a voice that would never tire, cold as a grave. He had come here for solitude and found it in abundance. Here, too, was the space he had needed for meditation and reflection, a place where he could work through his own grief and find a new purpose in life. Now he entered the stone room with his mission fixed firmly in mind. 

The room itself was empty, save for a single stone pedestal rising up from the floor. It was the only purpose this room had: to serve as a storage place for the crystal lens. After spending years of his life learning how to create the crystal, and yet more perfecting his mastery of it, building a room to house it was hardly an extravagance. The crystal was too important to merit anything less. Now the man stepped up to it and peered into its depths. 

For a moment, all he saw was clear crystal, gray stone, and his own reflection. Frowning, he marshaled his thoughts, and the crystal responded by glowing softly in response to its master's psychic energy. Gradually, the lights began to form vague images, like dreams, showing images of cities and streets full of people. That bothered the man, and his frown deepened. He wanted to see the trainers who were walking alone, not the ones that were safely surrounded by people. He might get to those later, depending on what the League decided to do next, but for now, he preferred that his movements remained secret. He gave the picture a mental shove, and it shifted, sliding slowly to show him images of green forests and empty plains. There appeared to be a sudden shortage of trainers today. 

*_They're catching on,_* the man realized. *_I may be forced to show my hand sooner than I'd expected..._* 

Even as he was thinking that, the image snapped to a halt and became focused. He leaned forward eagerly to see what it had found for him. 

Many miles away, a girl called Strawberry was making her way up the path that led to the Pokemon League. No one had ever said she was a girl of good sense - she had been a mischief- maker from the day she had learned to walk, with a quick temper and a quick mind to go with it. 

"I still can't believe they're shutting down the Gym circuit!" she complained to the only creature who was listening, a handsome Furret who was trotting at her side. "I mean, come on! Danger is part of what being a Trainer is all about!" 

"Fur, fur," said the Furret agreeably. 

"Well, I'm glad I don't have to put up with it," she said. "I'll just check out the local Pokemon and see what they've got around here, and then we're heading for Pewter City, whether the Pokemon League likes it or not!" 

"Fur, furret, fur," the Furret reminded her. 

"Well... Maybe they _said_ that, but I'm sure the Gym Leader will fight me once I'm there," Strawberry replied. "I'll just tell him I was in town when the proclamation went out and then I couldn't get back home again. The worst they can do is ship me back to Pallet Town." 

The conversation stopped for a moment as she reached a ridge that required climbing. Her Furret could scamper up the rocks easily, but she would need to be a little more careful. All her attention was needed just to find hand and foot holds on the stone. 

Paying attention wouldn't have saved her. Her only warning was a sudden sense of pressure, as if she had been plunged into deep water. Then some force lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the side of the cliff. Pain ran up her side, and there was a snapping as ribs snapped. She tried to scream but was forced to stop by the stabbing in her lungs. The force raised her and slammed her once more, and her head struck a rock. The last thing she was aware of was spinning lights, then darkness and an ebbing away of the pain... and then everything else went away. 

The mysterious force beat her lifeless body against the rocks a few more times, making sure nothing would ever revive her, and then tossed the limp remains across the road. No point in transporting her remains to a more populous location - someone would find them soon enough. For now, all there was to mourn her passing was a Furret, who huddled at her side and howled. 

~*~

"Does anyone have any idea where we are?" 

"I dunno. I was followin' you." 

"But I thought you had the map!" 

"I do! I jus' wasn' lookin' at it." 

"Oh, great. That's a big help." 

Scar gave a loud squawk of exasperation, and both the girls became quiet. So far, their day had not gotten off to the best start possible, and they were all beginning to feel mildly annoyed. They had hoped to get an early start that morning, but had been slowed down by the Greensward's hospitality. Nothing would do but that they would stay for breakfast. Then Mr. Greensward had wanted to administer one last checkup to make sure Aurora had completely recovered, and Mrs. Greensward had wanted to pack some supplies for their journey. It had been past ten-thirty when they had finally gotten on the road. 

Not that getting on the road was doing them much good. Once again, they were thwarted by the city's winding streets, roads that pretended to lead north only to twist around and point east. It hadn't taken long for them to get totally lost. Aurora was seething, anxious to get out of this place and reach her next destination, and Scar seemed to share her feelings. Laine, on the other hand, continued to act as if this were only a minor inconvenience. She nibbled at a cream cheese and orange marmalade sandwich she had picked up back at the Greensward's. 

"How can you eat that stuff?" Aurora asked irritably. 

"Like this," said Laine, taking a large bite of the sandwich. "It's good! Don' knock it till you've tried it." 

"Marmalade is lumpy," said Aurora. "I don't need to try it to know I don't - hey!" 

She stopped, and Laine nearly walked into her. In the distance, Aurora had spied something welcome - a thick shaft of sunlight, one that could only mean an end to the winding forest trails. When Laine saw it, she whooped for joy. 

"Finally! I was gettin' sick of all these trees," she said. "I didn' leave Azalea just to walk around in the woods s'more." 

"You aren't the only one," said Aurora. She was used to the open spaces of Violet City, and the feeling of all those trees and shadows pressing over her had been unsettling. She broke into a jog, running toward the light. 

At the edge of the forest, they found a low brick wall that ran around its perimeter in either direction for as far as they could see. Piercing the wall was a regal gateway, and running away from the gateway was a brick road. The travelers stopped and stared. 

"Classy," said Laine, admiring the stonework. "Didn' know they had anythin' like this round here." 

"Me neither," said Aurora. She wasn't quite as impressed. As a matter of fact, something was striking her as being slightly off about the situation, but she couldn't think exactly what it could be. However, Laine was already moving forward, and Scar was flapping after her, eager to get back into the open air, so Aurora had no choice but to follow. 

At least the trail was pleasant. It was smooth and well cared-for, without the distractions of fallen branches and other tree debris, such as they had been dealing with all morning. Even the grass was sparse, hiding only a few low-level Pokemon who scampered away when they saw the large Fearow that soared over them. A short distance from the trail, rocky territory began, with a view of mountains in the distance. The further they walked, the more prominent the rocks became, until Aurora felt as if they walked at the bottom of a canyon. 

"Is this right?" she asked Laine. "I knew Pewter City was rock-centered, but this..." 

"Ya might be right," said Laine. "Hm." 

She turned on her PokeGear and investigated the map. She made a face. 

"We musta got more turned around than I thought," she said. "This isn't Route 2, it's Route 23!" 

"Well, no wonder! I thought something looked wrong!" Aurora exclaimed. "If we keep going this way, we'll end up on Victory Road. Not that I wouldn't like to go there someday, but..." 

"Not right now," Laine finished. "Don't blame ya. Guess we've gotta turn around, then. Raticates. I wanted to get to Pewter City before the day was over." 

Aurora grinned a little. "Because Bruce is there, right?" 

Laine grinned back. "That's part of it, yeah. C'mon, let's not waste any _more_ time." 

They were just turning around when Scar dropped out of the sky, squawking frantically. He was so agitated that for a moment, even Aurora couldn't make out what he was talking about. 

"Whoa! What's his problem?" Laine shouted, as one of his wings nearly hit her. 

"I don't know, but it's nothing good," Aurora replied. "Calm _down_, Scar. You're acting like you saw Zapdos himself." 

"Fear, fear, fear, fear, fear!" he snapped. Whatever had shocked him was transmuting into anger; he didn't appreciate being talked to like that. He ruffled his feathers, slowly calming. 

"I don't know what's gotten into him," Aurora admitted. "I've never seen him act like this before." 

"Fearow, fear, fearow," he said. 

"You saw something? Saw what?" 

"Fear, fear, fear." 

"He says we have to see it for ourselves," Aurora translated. 

Scar hopped a few feet, flicking his wings as he gestured for them to keep up. Curious and a little worried, the girls followed him up the path. A few hundred yards down the path, the road curved around a bend, and then began rambling uphill. The going was rougher and rockier, and the girls had to concentrate more on their footing than the scenery. It took a squawk from Scar to make Aurora look up. She wished she hadn't. 

"Laine," she said, holding out a hand to halt her friend's progress, "tell me I'm seeing things." 

Laine stopped climbing and stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were the remains of a human being. 

"Uh-oh," said Laine. "Ugh. Yeah. I guess that's worth gettin' upset over." 

Aurora continued to stare, unable to look away no matter how much she wished she could. "Is she... is she...?" 

Laine walked a bit closer. "Looks that way. And she was just a kid..." 

"I feel sick." Aurora sat down on a rock and hid her face in her hands. Scar hopped over and tried to comfort her. 

"Don't go to pieces," Laine scolded. "Won' do her or us any good. Hm." 

She knelt next to the unmoving figure and gave her a closer examination. 

"Hasn' been gone too long," she decided. "Maybe yesterday, or early this morning. Looks like something cracked her across the head. Poor thing - don' think she ever knew what hit her." 

"Just a few hours," said Aurora. "If we'd been here earlier, we could have saved her..." 

"Maybe," Laine retorted, "an' maybe whatever done for her woulda done us in, too. You would know it, too, if you weren't in shock." 

Aurora took a shuddery breath. "You're right. This is just... awful. What are we going to do about it?" 

"I guess we're gonna hafta tell somebody," said Laine. "Wouldn' be right to jus' leave her here for - huh?" 

She turned just in time to see a small furry animal come charging down the path, barking furiously. It growled, trying to put itself between Laine and the dead girl, its fur bristling, its long tail lashing in fury. 

"Whoa, whoa, back off!" Laine yelped, backing away from the angry furball. "I wasn't doin' nothin'! Sheesh!" 

The animal continued to bark. "Tret! Tret! Furret!" 

Laine quickly backed off and hid behind Scar, watching the Furret distrustfully. Once it was sure she was far enough away that she wasn't going to do any damage to his trainer, he went up to the fallen girl and began nuzzling her cheek, whimpering. 

"Oh, the poor thing," said Aurora, realizing what was going on. "She's your trainer, isn't she? Or she was..." 

"And he thought I was going to hurt her? Great," Laine muttered. "Shoulda known nothin' about this would be easy." 

Aurora was moving cautiously toward the Furret, holding out a hand in a placating gesture, speaking softly. The Furret didn't have the bond to her that a bird would have, but he understood the soothing tone, and seemed to realize she wanted to help. He turned beseeching eyes on her and chirped questioningly. 

"I'm sorry, little one," she told him. "Your trainer isn't going to wake up. I wish we could do something to help..." 

The Furret hesitated a moment, and then hopped over to her, letting her cradle him in her arms. 

"The best way we can help," said Laine, "is to find whoever did this and make sure he gets what's comin' to him. Hm. Guess we'd better call the authorities..." 

"Wait," said Aurora. "Maybe we ought to think about this. Who would be the closest authorities around here?" 

"The folks in Viridian City, I guess," Laine replied. "Why?" 

"Who's the authority in Viridian City?" 

Laine winced. "Gary. Ugh. I see your point." 

Aurora nodded. "He already thinks I'm up to my elbows in this thing as it is, and if he catches me with a dead body on my hands..." 

"I gotcha," said Laine. "Okay, how 'bout this? The gate to Victory Road is just up the hill. We can call the security guards an' let them take care of it. They report to Lance, most likely. He wouldn' have us thrown in jail." 

"That's a good idea," Aurora replied. "Maybe you'd better report it, though. I want to keep a low profile as much as I can." 

"Don' blame ya," said Laine. "Okay, here I go. Keep an eye on the fuzzball for us." 

She turned and began jogging carefully up the rocky slope. 

"Never thought I'd have my sights set on Victory Road," she muttered. "At least I won' hafta fight anything when I get in there... if I'm lucky." 

~*~

Ember had gone to earth. More accurately, he had gone underground. There was no one who knew the byways and back roads and tunnels of the world the way a Rocket did, and by necessity, Ember was the best of the best. Almost as soon as he'd decided he needed to get out of town, he had decided that taking the subterranean roads would be smarter than going out in the open. After all, the only people who had died so far had been walking on open roads, not through his secret tunnels. 

Now he was safely ensconced by walls of stone and feeling fairly confident, even amused. It never ceased to entertain him that a Gym Leader as outspoken against Team Rocket as Gary could be living over top of a veritable Diglett's nest of tunnels built by the Team. He had known they were there, of course - it wasn't exactly private knowledge that Giovanni had riddled his Gym with tricks and traps. He had gotten rid of as many as he could when he'd remodeled the Gym, a fact that annoyed Ember. He had thought the old Gym more of a challenge. After all, it was supposed to be the highest Gym in Kanto; what good was it when all a trainer had to do was walk in and issue a challenge? Fortunately, Gary had missed a few of the better-hidden passages, thus allowing the one person he least wanted to help to make a clean getaway. 

*_I should be near Pewter City by now,_* Ember estimated. He would have to leave his cave soon. That was one drawback of these tunnels; they didn't all necessarily interconnect. *_Hopefully I can slip through there without attracting any attention. If I recall correctly, Brock was one of the Leaders who was in favor of me, or at least wasn't against me, so maybe he'll let me through to Mt. Moon. Once I'm there, getting to Saffron City will be easy..._* 

It was important to him to get to Saffron City. For one thing, the local Leader, Sabrina, had actually been outspoken in his defense, and that counted for a lot. For another, one of Team Rocket's major headquarters was located there. There, he would be able to plug back into his grapevine of spies and seekers and put them to work on this case. 

*_Actually, it wouldn't hurt to see what they're doing right now._* 

He checked his PokeGear. This particular machine had been custom made, just for him, and tuned into a constant broadcast that was only accessible to Rocket members. It was a sketchy source of news, but it was better than nothing. Now he turned it on and listened idly as the latest headlines were read off by an announcer as they were brought in. For a while, it was nothing interesting - just talk of the latest heists pulled off, the release of a new product at Sylph Co., and assorted Gym gossip. He listened idly as rumors were spread that one of the Elite Four was thinking of retiring - well, it was about time Bruno thought about stepping down. He'd been at the post for years, longer than most trainers held out. As long as they didn't want Ember to step up, he would be happy to see someone new and different at the job. He was more interested in a report that the Leader of the Cinnabar Gym had vanished. There was bound to be some significance to that fact, and he made a mental note to look into it. Then he heard the next report, and he froze in his tracks. 

"At approximately eleven o'clock this morning, Elaine Harvester, noted Pokemon researcher, reported the death of a young female trainer, who was apparently traveling with her Pokemon partner towards the Indigo Plateau. Name withheld pending notification of relatives." 

It didn't matter, suddenly, that Ember had not slept all night. It didn't matter that he had been walking for hours, or that he hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday. It didn't even matter that he might be heading directly into danger. He broke into a headlong dash, running with all his strength back to Viridian City. 

~*~

It would have been nice if the boss had picked a more accessible location for his latest job. It had taken hours to make the trip out here - not an easy thing even under the best of circumstances, and the man in red couldn't even use Pokemon to help him make the journey. Of course, he'd made difficult journeys for the sake of his new employer before, and would do so again for as long as it continued to serve his own ends, but this had to be the worst of the lot. Almost no cover except for a few small rocks and shrubs, rough terrain that was terrible on the feet, tiny little paths that left almost no room for escape... He sighed. No, this was not his choice of job. 

Unfortunately, someone had to do it. His boss spent all his time up on his mountaintop, gazing out at the distances and thinking deep thoughts. That he did very well, but someone had been needed to perform the actual hands-on work. All the man on the mountain had to rely on was his psychic sense, which was powerful enough to earn the man in red's respect, but it couldn't do everything. He needed someone to be his hands and eyes and ears in the physical world. Psychic power could spy out things, especially with the help of that wonderful crystal, but unless the seeker knew exactly what he was looking for, the results tended to be erratic. He could communicate with other Psychics, but that was precious little use in this situation. He could move things without touching them, even at great distances, but moving them even a few feet left him drained and exhausted for hours afterward. He could predict the future - but only patchily, in vague images that even the best trained Psychic couldn't always interpret reliably. Just that morning, the man in red had asked what was in the future, and the Psychic had replied that he had seen ancient bones stand and walk. 

*_Which could mean just about anything,_* the man in red thought grumpily, pausing to massage his aching feet and legs. *_Huh, for all I know, he just made it up to impress me - as if I wanted or needed to be impressed!_* 

No, the man in red did not like the Psychic. He didn't like him or feel any sense of loyalty to him, but he would help him, because the Psychic was the only one who seemed to feel the same way he did. Not even Team Rocket would participate in a plan like this! They would never support it, not even when Giovanni was in power, and certainly not now. But it would work. It was already working. Already, the League was fragmenting, trainers were becoming fearful, everything was in turmoil... 

*_But it won't finish if nobody knows what we're doing, and nobody will know what we're doing if the body never gets found, and nobody's going to find it now that Lance has put his silly rules in place._* 

The man in red allowed himself a smirk. Lance had thought he would slow the mysterious killer down by not allowing the young trainers to travel. Actually, it would have just the opposite effect. The man on the mountain could take out his prey without being there at all, without ever laying a finger on his victims, without leaving a trace. He was so powerfully protected by his own psychic aura that it was doubtful that even another Psychic could get more than hazy images of him. Now he would simply have an excuse to drop the charade that he was a crazed killer roaming the wilds, and replace it with his true, more frightening face. This would be his cue to start picking off trainers in their own homes - first the weak ones, then the strong ones, then the Gym Leaders themselves... 

*_Oh, yes, they'll get what they deserve! I'll teach them to ignore me!_* he thought furiously. *_But first... first I have to move this foolish girl to someplace she'll be found._* 

He hauled himself to his feet again and continued walking. This edict against roaming the countryside was turning out to be very useful. No longer did the man in red have to worry about whether or not he would be seen while running his master's errands - Lance's proclamation had as good as guaranteed the roads would be empty. He could walk openly if he felt like it, and never worry about awkward questions. 

That was why he walked around a corner and nearly had a heart attack. There was a girl sitting on the path - not the girl he'd been sent to dispose of, though he could see her lying off to the side, but a real live girl! He jumped backwards, nearly falling in his haste to get out of sight. Luckily, she seemed to be busy taking care of a nervous-looking Furret, and hadn't noticed that she had company. The man in red leaned against a cliff face, trying to steady his jangled nerves. 

Well, now what? He supposed this meant his mission was over; after all, he'd only been called out to make sure the girl was found, and now she had been. 

*_And what's she doing out here, hm? She's not supposed to be here - nobody's supposed to be here - Lance said no one could travel today, and everyone listens to him. What's she doing here?_* 

The man in red had a suspicious nature, one that had only become aggravated in recent years. Just now, he couldn't stand not knowing why this girl was sitting out in the middle of a place she had no business being, keeping watch over a dead body as if it were the most sensible thing in the world. What if she was on to him? What if she was just waiting for someone to return to the scene of the crime? 

*_I need a better look,_* he decided. *_How am I going to get that?_* 

He looked around. All he could see were the faces of cliffs and the rough sides of boulders. Well, those would have to do. Carefully, he began to scale the most promising-looking slope, intending to creep up to the top of the cliff and do his spying from there. Odds were, the girl would never think to look above her head, and even if she did, she wouldn't be able to see him with the sun at his back, but he would be able to see her easily. He could watch for as long as it took to decide if she was a threat or not. 

*_If it turns out she's a threat, I'll have to kill her._* He sighed. He didn't like killing. It was so awkward, unbefitting a man of his station. It might be more fun if he could simply dismiss them with a thought, as his master could, but as things stood... *_Maybe I'll just drop a rock or two on her. It would be messy to clean up after, but at least it will be quick._* 

Meanwhile, Aurora continued her vigil with no idea that there was danger lurking above her. She had finally managed to calm the poor Furret enough that it could sleep a bit, but even now it was still twitching and whimpering in its sleep. She stroked its fur and murmured to it, trying to soothe it. Scar, jealous at the attention she was paying to someone else's Pokemon, prowled around the area, snapping at anything that dared show its face. Two young Nidorans had already been sent scampering, and a Mankey had taken one look at his long beak and clambered up the wall shrieking. Apparently, that was warning enough, because nothing else had dared to come near since then. 

Just then, something caught Scar's attention. Aurora saw him raise his head and unfurl his wings, as if preparing to take flight. 

"What's your problem?" she asked. "You're going to wake the Furret." 

"Fearow fearow." 

"There is? Where?" Aurora raised her eyes as well, scanning the edges of the cliffs. She couldn't see anything but rocks and a strip of sky, but that didn't convince here there was nothing there. She hadn't spent years with Scar as her partner without learning to trust his judgement. 

*_A stray Pokemon?_* she wondered. *_Or something worse?_* She still hadn't forgotten the sense of being watched that had followed her from Cinnabar Island, nor had the knowledge that a killer had been there recently ever been very far from her mind. 

"Do you mind going up and having a look?" she asked him. 

Scar tilted his head as he weighed the merits of staying and protecting her versus doing a bit of spying. Curiosity must have won out, because he took to his wings, stirring up a swirl of sand as he flapped into the air. Within moments, he was out of sight above the canyon rim. 

He didn't stay there long, however. Aurora heard a yelp, and a moment later, she caught a blurred glimpse of a human - a man, she thought, though it was hard to tell with the sun in her eyes - dressed in red. He didn't stay put long enough for her to get a good look at him, because Scar was pursuing him in full battle fury, to the accompaniment of earsplitting shrieks. The man ran from him, hands folded over his head in a futile attempt to protect his scalp. He skidded at the edge of the canyon, ducked as Scar swooped over him, nearly fell, and regained his balance just in time. As Scar was wheeling around for another pass, the man made a dive and managed to duck into a crevasse. Scar circled over him, squawking insults, but there was no way his broad wings would fit in such a narrow crack. 

But there were other Pokemon who could. Aurora reached for her Pokeballs and opened one, releasing a small dark bird. Not seeing any battles that needed fighting, Blabberbeak the Murkrow stared at her curiously, waiting to see what was required of him. 

"Go up there and help Scar," she told him, pointing. "Go on. There's a man up there who needs annoying." 

Blabberbeak flew off, chortling. He liked annoying people. He dove into the crack in the ground, and Aurora was pleased to hear several shouts and curses emanate from it. Moments later, both Scar and Blabberbeak returned. Blabberbeak carried a swatch of red fabric clamped in his beak. He dropped it in her hand and hopped back a few paces, looking expectantly at her for a word of praise. 

"Aren't you a clever bird?" she crooned. Blabberbeak fluffed his feathers. There was nothing he liked better than being told he was clever. Scar clacked his beak at him, clearly reminding him that he might be clever, but Scar had gotten there first. Aurora smiled. 

"Both of you did very well," she said. "Come on, Blabberbeak. In you go." 

Once the black bird had been returned to his ball, Aurora made a closer inspection of the cloth he had brought her. She had assumed it was simply a trophy of driving off the man in red, but now she could see that there was something shiny pinned to it. That explained why Blabberbeak had gone after it; he would steal anything small and shiny. His nest back home was liberally lined with bottle caps, paper clips, gum wrappers, and sparkly stones. This object was none of those things - in fact, Aurora wasn't _entirely_ sure what it was. It was a bit of metal about the size of her thumbnail, silvery and highly polished. 

*_It looks like a Badge,_* she realized, *_but it can't be... can it?_* 

She frowned. It wasn't a Kanto Badge - they were all enameled in bright colors, but this was plain metal. Judging just by its silver color, she would have guessed it was from Johto, but that couldn't be right, either. She had all of them, and would recognize them in her sleep after wearing them continuously for three years. This one had a design she had never seen before, a sort of elliptical starburst with a depression at its center, making her think of a stylized eye. Perhaps it was from another Gym overseas? Falkner had showed her pictures of some of them, once, but she didn't remember any looking like this at all. 

*_It's weird, whatever it is,_* she thought. *_I'll have to show it to Laine. She's been places; she might have seen something like it somewhere._* 

A whimper at her side drew her attention away from the mysterious bit of metal; the Furret had been awakened by the commotion, and was now anxiously looking around for his trainer. Aurora gave a resigned sigh. Back to babysitting! 

Relief was a while in coming. There was only so long anyone could sit in the wilderness next to a dead body without feeling a bit strained, and after another half-hour of it, Aurora was feeling her patience growing thin. Finally, she heard a distant voice shouting her name. 

"Rora! Hey, girl, where'd ya go?" 

"Laine!" she shouted, feeling a surge of gratitude. "We're over here!" 

Moments later, Laine came trotting around a bend and into view. She was followed by a set of official-looking sorts in the deep blue uniforms of Indigo Plateau guards. Laine grinned as she caught sight of her friend. 

"Hey, I'm back! Didja miss me?" she said cheerfully. 

"That would be one way to say it," Aurora replied. 

"Yeah, well, sorry it took so long. Takes a lotta talkin' to get through to these official clowns," said Laine. "Don' worry about 'em; I didn' tell 'em who ya are." 

As she spoke, the guards were clustering around the body of the fallen girl, giving her their official inspection and muttering to each other. One of them whipped out a notepad and started jotting down notes, and another began taking photographs. After the they all had talked to each other for a few minutes, someone else took out a phone and began talking into it. One, a woman whose uniform bore an embroidered patch on one arm that the others didn't have, detached herself from the group and went to speak to the girls. 

"Jestine Smallwood, Chief of Indigo Plateau Security," she said, flashing a badge. "Do you two mind if I ask you a few official questions?" 

Aurora shook her head mutely; Laine shrugged and said, "Shoot." 

"Very well. First question: do either of you know this girl?" 

"Never met her," Aurora replied. 

"Same here," Laine added. 

"How did you happen to find her?" 

"We got lost," answered Aurora. "We were trying to get to Pewter City, and we took the wrong road out of Veridian. We aren't from around here." 

"I see. I suppose you two are both aware that traveling between towns has been restricted." 

"We have a permit," said Laine. The girls showed their papers, which were gravely inspected. 

"That's Lance's signature, all right," said Officer Jestine. "I'd recognize it anywhere. All right, then. What Pokemon are you carrying?" 

"Why is that important?" Aurora wanted to know. 

"If it is determined that the cause of death was a Pokemon attack, it's important. Answer, please." 

The girls rattled off their lists of Pokemon, while the officer jotted it all down. Meanwhile, the other men seemed to have finished what they were doing. The girl's remains were draped in a sheet and bundled off. The Furret squeaked mournfully. Officer Jestine looked at it. 

"Where did he come from?" she asked. 

"He belonged to her," Aurora explained. "I don't think he really understands what's going on. I've been trying to take care of him, but..." 

Officer Jestine's expression softened. "Poor thing. Do you want us to take him off your hands? I'm sure we can find a home for him somewhere." 

The girls looked at each other for information. Aurora really didn't feel right about taking someone else's Pokemon, especially one she couldn't even talk to. Working with Flying types almost constantly had made her take her affinity for granted. Still... 

"I'll watch him for a while longer," she said. "At least until we can find a permanent home for him. He trusts me, and he's just lost one trainer... it wouldn't be right to just keep bouncing him from person to person." 

Officer Jestine closed her notebook. "You're right. Just between you and me, I don't believe you two had anything to do with this unhappy incident. However, just for the record, I'd like you both to come with us to Viridian City and make an official statement to the police there." 

"We aren't gonna hafta talk to Gary again, are we?" asked Laine. 

The officer gave her a curious look. "Is there some reason why you shouldn't?" 

"We met him yesterday," said Aurora. "He was... a little rude." 

Laine snorted. "A little? He as good as told you to go jump off Mt. Moon." 

Officer Jestine's mouth twitched. "Yes, that sounds like something he would do. He's a brilliant trainer, don't get me wrong, and he's done quite a bit of good for Kanto, but... he has his hangups. Very well. I think we can arrange for you to make your statement to someone else." 

"Anonymously?" asked Laine. 

"If you like," said the officer. "Seeing as how there is no one to press charges against, you won't have to appear in court." 

"Oh, good," said Aurora. "I'd just as soon not go through that again." 

The officer raised her eyebrows. "Explain." 

So Aurora took a deep breath and began explaining, as best she knew how, her last involvement in a court trial, a complicated task that involved her trying to navigate around the fact that she had been helped by the young man who was now the leader of Team Rocket. Explaining the trial led to other questions, which was just as well, because even thinking about her clash with Clair was better than spending the entire trip to Viridian City in silence. 

~*~

Word had traveled ahead of them. Aurora could almost have sworn that the people of Viridian City had a few messenger Pidgeys of their own, because by the time the guards arrived, there were already people around, staring and whispering to each other. Everyone seemed to know the news: the mysterious killer had taken someone else, just an innocent young girl. Aurora felt uneasy herself. It seemed that, no matter what steps the League took, people were still on the verge of panicking. 

She was further disturbed at the police station. While she and Laine were giving their statements, she saw a middle-aged couple come into the room and be led away by someone, and moments later, heard a female voice let out a mournful wail. For the first time, it consciously occurred to her that this girl wasn't just a faceless trainer, but an actual person. She was someone's beloved daughter, someone's best friend, maybe someone's first love. Now she was gone. 

*_I'm going to find them,_* she thought, fighting back a sudden temptation to cry. *_I'm going to find whoever did this and make them feel what they've done. Nothing in the world is worth this._* 

Something of her emotional reaction must have been showing on her face, because as they left the police station, Laine set a hand on her shoulder. 

"S'all wrong, ain't it?" she said softly. 

Aurora nodded. Laine understood it better than she did; her father had been taken from her in much the same way. "Yeah, it is." 

"Can't make it right," Laine said, "but if we're fast, we can make it so it doesn't happen again. Leastways, not like this." 

"You're right," said Aurora. She sniffled a little. "We will." 

There was a crowd outside. Everyone was shouting, trying to get the details of what was going on, and Officer Jestine was doing all she could to keep them under control. Wanting to avoid trouble, the girls tried to slip around the edges of the building, hoping to get out of sight before someone could start bothering them. Neither one of them was in any mood to relive their morning. 

However, there was someone in the group that was observant enough to spot them. Aurora saw him at almost the same moment he saw her. He was dressed simply, in a heavy denim jacket and cap, but Aurora recognized the costume - it was the disguise Ember wore when he wanted not to be noticed. The minute he saw her, his skin, normally pale to begin with, went white as cold wax, and his mouth fell open. In the next minute, he dashed forward and gripped her shoulders, shaking her until she thought her teeth would shake out. 

"Don't you _ever_ do that again!" he said in a furious whisper. 

"I won't, I won't!" she promised. "Just as soon as you tell me what I did." 

He shook his head, apparently beside himself with some undeterminable emotion. "I have never been so worried in my... The least you could have done was _tell_ me..." 

"Hey, big shot, you're babbling," said Laine. "And people are starin' at you. 'Less you wanna have someone start askin' you tough questions, maybe we'd better take this conversation somewhere else." 

He turned and looked at her, as if he hadn't realized she was there until that moment. He took a deep breath and relaxed a fraction. 

"I'll give this to you," he said. "You do occasionally show a modicum of sense, unlike some people. All right, let's find a place to talk. I have a few questions of my own I want answered." He shot a murderous glance at Aurora. 

"Great," said Laine. "Seein' as how it's past lunchtime, I vote we find something to eat. Nobody'll be in the restaurants; they're all out here." 

"I'm not hungry," said Ember shortly. 

Laine rolled her eyes. "I never said ya had to _eat_ anythin', genius." 

"I am a little thirsty," said Aurora quietly. "It's been a long day, you know." 

"Yes, it has," said Ember. "All right, all right. I know a place where no one will bother us. Come on." 

Silently, he led them down the streets of his hometown. As Laine had predicted, they were almost entirely empty. Everyone was either out looking for the scene of the action, or hiding inside for fear of where the killer might be now. It was a bit eerie, seeing a city without people, and the silence was unnerving. Still, judging by the mood Ember was in, Aurora thought it safer to stay silent. 

Eventually, their path led them to an area of town that seemed to be given to cafes and small boutiques, and Ember brought them into what proved to be an upscale sandwich shop. The tables were all covered by checkered tablecloths, and ambient music played from hidden speakers. A few potted plants were positioned here and there, providing a sense of screened privacy. The only one in the room was a young man with dark hair and clever features who was idly polishing the counter. He looked up as they entered, and his expression shifted from boredom to one of pleased surprise. 

"If it isn't the chief!" he said, in a pleasant, lilting voice. "Truly I'm honored." 

"Watch your tongue, Cecil," answered Ember. "For one, I am not in a good mood today. For another, you have no idea that these girls are in my confidence." 

"And if they weren't, why would you be bringing them to my humble eatery?" answered Cecil. 

"Because they're hungry and thirsty," Ember retorted, "situations which I expect you to rectify." 

"Right away, your honor," answered Cecil with a grin. "Allow me a moment to fetch some menus." 

He gave a half-bow and scuttled off. Ember escorted his guests to a table in the far corner of the room, putting them all out of view from anyone who might look in the front window. He sank into his chair with a sigh that was almost a groan, and closed his eyes. For a moment, he looked so exhausted that Aurora felt a pang of worry for him. In the next instant, though, he straightened up again, looking like his usual aloof self. 

"In case you missed it, that was Cecil," he said. "One of my better operatives, for all he talks more than I would like. He's my watchman here in Viridian City. He's not much of a trainer, but nothing slips by without his notice." 

"This is a Rocket place?" asked Aurora, surprised. She looked around. She had never imagined a Rocket hideout to have fringed lamps and watercolor paintings. 

"Of course it is," Ember replied. "What better place to post a scout than in a building where all the best people in town come out to eat and gossip? What did you expect? Bare walls and cigar smoke?" 

Aurora gave a weak smile. "I did, but I shouldn't have. You have better taste than that." 

"Glad you realize it," answered Ember, looking somewhat mollified. "Understand that I don't want you two blabbing this around. We'll lose all our business if you do." 

"I don' care if this is a Rocket base or the First National Bank," Laine drawled. "I just want to be fed." 

Right on cue, Cecil appeared, carrying menus, silverware, and napkins, setting them out with a theatrical flourish. 

"Slow day, Cecil?" Ember remarked. 

"Ah, it's the wrong time of week to be crowded," answered Cecil airily. "We normally stay quiet during the week, saving your honor's presence. Shall I be bringing you the usual?" 

"Just a glass of water." 

Cecil looked mildly affronted, but he took it in stride. "Right you are, your honor. And what can I get for these charming ladies?" 

"The ladies are not here to be charmed, Cecil," said Ember dangerously. "This is strictly business. We would appreciate some privacy. Understood?" 

Cecil looked sulky, but agreed. He took their orders and swept off. 

"If that guy was any screwier," Laine commented, "ya could use him to hold wood together." 

"Ignore him. He was an actor before he got into crime, and he's still inclined to be a bit of a ham," said Ember. 

Moments later, Cecil reappeared carrying a tray of drinks and food. After the little group had been served, he hovered solicitously for a while until Ember said a few sharp words to him about eavesdropping on the affairs of his betters, causing him to stalk off, radiating wounded pride. 

"So, what's this all about?" asked Aurora. "You're not quite yourself today. You're acting like... I don't know. Like you just came an inch from death." 

Ember gave a humorless laugh. "How observant of you." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Do you know what I was doing this morning?" he asked. "I was walking along, minding my own business, when out of the blue, I get a news report. Do you want to know what it said? It said that a certain Elaine Harvester was reporting the death of a young girl who had been traveling with her Pokemon. You and I both know there are very few young girls traveling Kanto right now, and even fewer who travel with their Pokemon outside their Pokeballs." He took a breath as his controlled voice broke. Very quietly, he said, "Don't you see? I thought you were _dead_." 

"Oh," she said softly. "Oh, Ember, I didn't..." 

"I thought you were dead," he repeated, "and the last thing I said to you was to complain like a spoiled child because you didn't come visit when I wanted you to..." 

"The last thing you said to me was that you forgave me," she reminded him. "Anyway, it isn't a problem, because I'm not dead. Really!" 

"I can see that," he answered. He smiled a tiny bit. "I should have known you would come through somehow - you have the most ridiculous luck. Even so, you gave me quite a shock, Winter-Hair. If you ever do that again, I promise you I am going to hunt you down and kill you myself so I won't have to worry anymore." 

She smiled back. "That's comforting to know." 

"Aw, you two are so cute when you act like this," said Laine, grinning wickedly. 

Aurora and Ember both blushed and glared at her. 

"Remind me to put a Qwilfish in her sleeping bag," Aurora said to him. 

"I'll catch it for you myself," he answered. "So, young lady, would you kindly explain to me just how it is that you are alive?" 

The awkwardness was broken. The three of them set about attacking their meals while they explained to Ember just how the morning's unpleasantness had come about. It wasn't as bad as it had been when they'd been explaining to the police; Ember, at least, would never have reason to suspect they had been at fault. It was therapeutic, having a sympathetic listener, and Aurora felt comfortable in telling him her emotional reactions as well as the bare facts. 

"Say, Ember," she said, during a lull in the conversation, "you didn't have anyone watching me today, did you?" 

Ember gave a sigh of exaggerated patience. 

"No," he said. "If someone had been watching you, they would have told me what was going on, and I need not have worried myself unnecessarily on your behalf. Why do you ask?" 

"Because I saw someone watching me today, and since you have the market on sneaks cornered..." 

"True, if inelegantly stated," he replied. "What kind of someone did you see?" 

"I never got a good look," she admitted. "He was too far away, and the sun was in my eyes. I think it was a man, sort of tall and thin, and he was wearing all red." 

"You didn't see his face at all? Anything that might distinguish him?" 

"No. He kept his head down," she replied. "Scar, did you see anything?" 

Scar shook his head; he had been chasing from behind, and had never seen anything but the man's back. Aurora relayed the information to her friends. 

"Well, that's suspicious," said Ember thoughtfully. "Of course, it _could_ have been perfectly innocent, but my experience is that an innocent man would probably have shouted to you and told you to call off your Pokemon. He didn't speak to you at all?" 

"No," Aurora replied. "He shouted when Scar attacked, but that was it. Mostly he just ran away... and you know, I just realized, he never brought out any Pokemon to counter-attack." 

"That _is_ weird," said Laine. "Why in the name of the Forest Guardian would someone be runnin' around in the middle of nowhere without any Pokemon for protection? Especially with a murderer on the loose." 

"A point, I'll grant you," said Ember. "Unless, of course they were trying to dodge the restrictions against trainers traveling by leaving their Pokemon at home. Still... not speaking at all... it makes me think of someone who doesn't want to be recognized. I teach my men never to speak more than they absolutely have to. A face can be hidden, but speech patterns are hard to disguise." 

"Doesn' leave us much to go on, does it?" said Laine. "A guy with no face and no voice would be hard to recognize again." 

"Wait a minute. I just thought of something," Aurora said suddenly. She reached in her pocket and pulled out the red cloth. "Blabberbeak stole this from him, and I though it looked important enough to hang on to. Have either of you ever seen anything like it? I thought it might be a Gym Badge, but I don't recognize it." 

"Nope," said Laine, inspecting the strange Badge. "This isn' a Gym Badge like anything I've seen before." 

"Give it here," Ember ordered. He took the cloth from Laine and inspected it. "Hm... It looks vaguely familiar. I think I saw my uncle carrying a Badge like this, once or twice. It's not one they use anymore. I couldn't tell you where it came from, though. Ask your beloved Falkner. He'll know. You were supposed to write him a letter, as I recall. What could I bet that you forgot?" 

Aurora blushed. "I didn't forget. Really! I was just going to wait until I got to the next town. I didn't think I ought to stop on a deserted road long enough to write letters." 

For a moment, she thought Ember was going to argue with her, but instead, he nodded. "That's logical. I should have thought of that myself. All right, you can write your letter in here. You're safe from everything but Cecil's prying eyes.... Isn't that right, Cecil?" he added loudly. 

"Just looking to see if you needed anything, your honor," said Cecil. 

"What I need, as I told you before, is _privacy_," Ember said. 

"Yes, your honor, as you say. I'll just be going to check the ovens, now." 

Ember shook his head. "Completely incorrigible. Well, ladies, I've lost a day's traveling, and you nearly gave me a heart attack, but it's been interesting all the same." 

Aurora detected a note of finality in his voice. "You're leaving already?" 

"Yes," he said. "Much as I hate to eat and run, I think it best that we not be seen together any more than we have to. Besides, I'm at the limit of my energy. I'm going to find a place to rest, and then I'm setting out for Saffron City. I'll see you there if I don't see you before." 

"I'll be waiting," Aurora promised. 

Ember rose and bowed (he did it better than Cecil did, Aurora thought) and made his exit through a back door. She sighed. Ember never seemed to hang around very long. 

"You gonna write your letter now?" Laine inquired. 

Aurora shrugged. "I might as well. Do you have any paper?" 

"Always." 

Laine handed her a sheet of yellow drafting paper and a pen, and Aurora began to write. It took a long time; she was amazed at how much ground there seemed to be that needed covering. She summarized the events of the meeting and the agreement among the apprentices, glossed over winning her first Kanto Badge, allowed herself a moment to vent over Gary's rudeness, and gave him the details of the past few hours. She debated with herself over whether to include her belief that something was out there watching her, and decided against it. She still remembered how nearly everyone seemed to believe her invisible watcher was just a product of an overworked brain, and she didn't want Falkner to think there was anything wrong with her. She contented herself by asking him to ask Morty if there had ever been any mythical Pokemon in Viridian City. She also threw in a sketch of the mysterious Badge, asking if he could identify it. After looking over the letter, she decided there was nothing else that needed saying, so she jotted down a final paragraph. 

_"Please reply back soon. There's nobody like you here I can trust. I wish you were here to explain all this for me. I miss you. Sincerely, Aurora._ She thought a moment, and added, _P.S. - please have someone look into that Leader from Cinnabar. There's something fishy about him, and I don't like his attitude._

Satisfied that she had said all she needed to say, she folded it up and prepared to leave. 

"Don't worry yourselves about paying the bill," said Cecil, appearing at her elbow as if by magic. "For friends of Himself, there's no charge." 

"Great," said Laine. "I'll have to eat here more often." 

They left the building and went looking for a bird who was willing to carrying Aurora's letter. There was no shortage of willing specimens - Pokemon tended to be drawn to trainers who had an affinity to them - but most of them were Pidgeys or Spearows. Both were nice birds, and Aurora was fond of them, but she wanted something a bit larger to make the trip to Johto. When she conveyed this information to the flock, there was a whirr of wings as several of the Pidgeys took off. They returned a few minutes later leading a majestic Pidgeot with a crest of red and gold feathers as long as his body. He bobbed a polite greeting to Aurora and listened gravely to her request. 

_It could be amusing,_ he said. _I've always wanted to travel._

"Thank you," she said. "The place you want is across the ocean, due west. The buildings will have purple roofs. The one you want is the biggest, with statues of birds all around. You can't miss it." 

The Pidgeot took her letter in his beak and took off, his broad wings stirring the fallen leaves and making them swirl in the air. He circled the girls once before soaring out of sight. 

"There went a fine bird," said Aurora with admiration. "Hope I'll see him again sometime. I wonder if he'd like a trainer?" 

"Ask him next time," Laine suggested. "Hey, I know a good idea. Why doncha ask one of these little guys if they'd show us the way out of this maze? Bet they never get lost." 

"Good idea. Why didn't I think of that?" Aurora replied. 

She selected a clever-looking Pidgey and relayed the request. He was more than pleased to help anyone who carried the Zephyr Badge and could talk to birds. With him fluttering over their heads and directing them, the girls and Pokemon made good progress through the town. Only one member of their group looked sorry to be leaving. 

"Poor Furret," said Aurora, cuddling the animal. "Guess you're sad to leave your home, huh? This has been the worst day for you." 

"Furr," he agreed sadly. 

"Don't worry. You'll be all right," said. "We'll find you a good trainer somewhere." 

It was a relief to see the city coming to an end. Now they were back in the residential part of town, where houses were nestled among the trees instead of office buildings or stores. Like the rest of the city, everything was quiet. Tricycles and toys were scattered in front yards, but no one was brave enough to let their children out to play on a day like this. It might be weeks before anyone allowed them outside. 

However, as they were passing by one house, a door opened, and a little girl dashed out. 

"I thought it was you!" squealed a voice. 

Aurora turned to look. Dashing up the front walk, pigtails flying, was the little girl she had battled outside Gary's Gym. She collided with Aurora's side and hugged her. 

"You're all right!" she exclaimed. 

"Let me guess," said Laine. "You thought it was her, too." 

"They said on the radio a girl died," said the girl solemnly. "I thought it might have been one of you, but not really. I'm glad you're all right, though." 

"Me too," said Aurora. "It's Ivy, right? It was nice of you to remember me. I'm sorry we didn't get to finish our match." 

"That's all right," Ivy replied. "We'll battle another time, when I have better Pokemon. I'm going to be a Champion someday - maybe even a Gym Leader." 

"I don't doubt it for a minute," Aurora replied. Then, as inspiration struck her, she added, "You're going to need some good Pokemon, though, right?" 

"Yeah," said Ivy. "All they grow around here are little Pokemon - Weedles and things. I wish I could go catch some better ones." 

"Well, now that you mention it, I have a Furret here who needs a good home." 

Ivy's eyes widened with interest. "Isn't he yours?" 

"No. He belonged to the girl who died," Aurora replied. "He needs someone to love him and take care of him. He's a strong Pokemon - he deserves a good trainer, and I know you'd do a good job." 

Ivy put a hand under the Furret's chin so they could see eye to eye. 

"Would you like to stay with me, Furret?" she asked. "I know I'm not the same as you're real owner, but I promise I'll take good care of you. We can go a long way together." 

The Furret looked her over, considering. Then he jumped from Aurora's arms to twine himself around Ivy's neck like a long, furry scarf. Ivy beamed. 

"I think he likes me," she said. 

"I think you two will get along just fine," Aurora replied. "I wish you both the best of luck. Come see me in Johto someday - then we'll have a _real_ battle." 

Ivy smiled. "I will." 

They shook on it. 

*_That kid is going to go places someday,_* thought Aurora. *_Who knows? Maybe she'll be famous someday... like the First Trainers. Don't the legends say Ichiko's first Pokemon was a Sentret?_* 

It was late afternoon by the time they finally left the city and entered Viridian Forest proper. To Aurora, it was a relief to finally be out of the city and on the right track. Even Scar didn't seem to mind so much; the forest was full of interesting bugs to chase. Only Laine had something to complain about. 

"We're never gonna get to Pewter City before nightfall," she said. "We'll hafta spend the night on the ground. Ugh." 

"Look on the bright side," said Aurora. "At least the day will be _over_. I never want another day like this again. It's just been one mess after another ever since we got to Viridian City." 

"It's been one mess after another ever since we got to Pallet Town," said Laine. "You're right about today, though. Man, did you see the look on Ember's dial when he saw you come outta that police station? I thought he was gonna pass out." 

"I know what you mean," Aurora replied. "I've never seen him like that before." 

"I have." 

Aurora blinked; it had never crossed her mind that Laine might know _anything_ about Ember that she didn't. "When?" 

"That time with the Articuno, when you passed out. The thing was sayin' it was gonna kill ya, an' then you fell over, an' we all kinda thought..." 

"Hm," she said. She wasn't sure what she thought of Ember getting that upset over her. 

"He likes you more than he lets on," said Laine. "I mean, he _really_ likes you." 

Aurora laughed. "Oh, come off it. Ember's too independent for that. You just don't think guys and girls can be friends without being in love." 

"That's not true. I think Ember's my friend. I think he'd help me out if I was in trouble. I don' think he'd wet his pants over it, though. You're the only one he gets that upset over." 

Aurora definitely didn't like the direction this conversation was going. She tried for levity. "I still think you're making mountains out of Diglett-hills. Besides, I thought you were convinced I had a crush on Falkner." 

"Well, do you?" 

"Maybe." 

"Maybe? Listen, girlfriend, you gotta do a whole lot better than _maybe_. You give me a straight answer, or I'll get Roadblock to sit on you until you tell." 

"He'll have to catch me first!" 

She sprinted up the path, with Scar soaring over her head. Laine couldn't know, but she had the feeling the bird was laughing at her. Scowling, she broke into a trot as she tried to catch up to her friend. 

Another Pokemon was laughing, too. High above their heads, he hung upside-down by his tail as he watched them scamper around. 

*_What interesting humans! They know so much about such complicated things, and they don't understand the simplest things. I'm happy I decided to watch these two! This is more fun than I've had in a long, long time!_* 

He released his hold on the tree - he didn't really need it, anyway - and turned himself right side up. 

*_I wish I could talk to them properly. I could tell them things,_* he thought. *_Oh, well. They're learning things, things even I didn't know. Everything will work out in the end, I know it!_* 

In the meantime, it was still fun to watch humans. With a giggle, he took to the air to go see what they would do next. 


	5. Stage Five In the City of Stone

**Stage Five - In the City of Stone**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

Viridian Forest was not known for its wide varieties of Pokemon. Small birds such as Pidgeys were common, and bugs like Caterpies and Weedles could be found nearly everywhere. Once in a while someone would spy a Pikachu. Other than that, there wasn't much to be found, and most serious trainers hardly paid it any attention. They would have been surprised to see the gathering that was running loose that particular afternoon. 

Lunch was turning out to be an exciting affair for Aurora and Laine. Both of them shared a belief that Pokemon were happier outside of Pokeballs, and since Laine had barely even had an opportunity to show hers off, they had both agreed that now would be a nice time to let their companions out for a breath of air. Accordingly, all five of Aurora's birds, plus her Umbreon, were scurrying around the campsite, stretching their legs and wings and trying to steal the food. They were also getting acquainted with Laine's Pokemon, some of which they hadn't met before. Roadblock the Snorlax had been out all night. Laine had learned that his broad, fluffy stomach made as good a bed as anything, and he liked jobs where he could be most useful by sitting perfectly still. Also out was Nova the Machop, keeping company with a mischievous young Tyrogue Laine called Sideswipe. There were other new acquisitions as well, and Laine introduced her friend to the Ampharos she had spoken of, a placid creature called Plugger, and a clever Smeargle named Gauguin. Rounding out the team was a familiar face, in the form of Moondancer's sister, Sunset the Espeon. 

"You need to think about gettin' some fresh Pokemon," said Laine, as she fed toast to her Ampharos. 

"I like the ones I've got," Aurora replied. 

"Yeah, I know, you'll never find another Pokemon like Scar," Laine agreed, "but you don' wanna get stagnant. If ya wanna be a really world-class trainer, ya need to learn how to use all kinds of Pokemon, not just your five favorites." 

"That's why I've got Berry," said Aurora. "He's a new Pokemon, and a different type from all the others. You could be right, though - I should look into doing some collecting. Maybe a Gligar. It would be nice to have at least one partner resistant to Electric attacks..." 

Laine laughed. "And this from the girl who usedta scream every time she saw a bat!" 

"Bats have their uses," said Auroa, scratching behind Frightful's ears. 

She stared thoughtfully up into the treetops. The sun was shining brightly up there, casting glimmers of lights through the leaves. It was pretty, almost hypnotic, watching the branches swaying and rearranging the patterns of light. She let her mind wander. What kind of Pokemon would she like, if she were going to start looking for new ones? She had always admired Ember's Gyarados, but he had been raising it carefully from a Level Five Magikarp, and she wasn't sure if she had the patience for a project like that. Perhaps something less exotic, then. She wondered if it would be worth the effort of raising a Hoppip, just for the novelty of having a flying plant. She had heard news of a continent over the sea where they were discovering all kinds of interesting new Pokemon, of birds whose aspects were of Water, Fire... even Dragon-types! Perhaps she should ask Falkner if she could look into it, someday... 

She closed her eyes, the better to envision it. For a moment, she was aware only of the stillness around her. She could hear the wind rustling in the trees, the Pokemon moving around the campground. She heard Berry give out a trill, and then - 

_... The man was being tied to the stake. Unseen hands piled bundles of sticks and brush around his feet, even as he howled in fear and defiance. This was not fair; he had done nothing to deserve this; someone should have protected him; why was this happening? Someone struck a match to the branches, and they burst into flames. The man's screams took on a new intensity - not of pain, but of fury. This was not fair, and he would have his revenge. Everyone would be punished for the pain they were causing him! Even as he was making his threats, he turned his head so that Aurora could see him clearly: the man had no face._

Then the telephone rang, and Aurora jumped - not because of the bell, but because of what she'd just seen. The image that had flashed by had taken only seconds, and its suddenness and strangeness were enough to startle her. 

"Jumpy, aren't you?" said Laine. "Go on, answer the phone!" 

Still dazed, Aurora did as she was told, mulling over what she had just seen. This was the second vision she'd had in three days. This was ridiculous - she was no Psychic! Where were they coming from? What did they mean? The sight of the faceless man gave her the shivers even now; she had the feeling it meant something bad... 

"Hello?" she said into the phone. 

"Ah, there you are. Hello, Aurora, dear. Hard at work, I assume?" 

"Hello, Nicholas," she answered, with a faint sigh. "I'm having lunch. Or am I allowed to stop and eat once in a while?" 

"Only once in a while," Nick replied. "I trust you are making great progress. At least, one would assume that's the reason why you haven't called yet." 

Aurora decided to ignore the jibe; after all, nobody else had called _her_ yet, either. 

"I found Ember," she said instead. "He didn't really know what was going on, but now that he knows, he said he's going to help us. He's probably rounding up his Rockets even as we speak." 

"Well, that is one consolation," said Nick. "So, tell me... how far are you now from Lavender Town?" 

"I'm about... three miles outside of Pewter City. Why?" 

"Oh, nothing. I just thought you should know... the ghosts here are getting restless. They haven't been able to say what exactly has them so disturbed, but I can't say I've ever seen them quite this upset before. My master might be able to work it out, but for me..." 

"You can't do anything?" asked Aurora. 

"Well, not _nothing_... but I admit some difficulty. Aurora, I think you should understand that there are only a very few things I know of that would make _all_ the ghosts in a city _this_ frightened, and none of them are precisely wholesome." 

"Do you think this has anything to do with the murderer?" 

There was ironic laughter on the other end of the line. "Do you think murderers frighten ghosts? My dear, dying looks to a ghost the way going to middle school looked to you - it's just the next step in a series of events. No, it's something else that worries them... and if I were you, I would be very, very careful." 

"You mean... there's something even worse going on out there, that we don't know about yet?" asked Aurora. "What's worse than death?" 

"I wouldn't call it _worse_ exactly," said Nick, sounding thoughtful. "Just... different. More expansive. Something that might change all of Kanto, if it comes to be." 

"Well, thanks for the warning," said Aurora. "Call back the minute you know something more for sure." 

"Don't worry, I will." 

There was a click. Apparently Nick didn't care for long goodbyes. Aurora sighed and put her phone away. Laine was watching her curiously. 

"Do I wanna know what that was all about?" she asked. 

"Maybe not," Aurora answered, "but if I knew, I might tell you." 

"I'm guessin' Nick wasn't in the mood to give details?" 

Aurora shrugged. "He couldn't say for sure, but he seems to think the world as we know it is coming to an end." 

"Phooey," said Laine. "I haven' finished my lunch yet. Hate for the world to end while I'm still hungry." 

"You don't sound very impressed," said Aurora. 

"Nah. Nick's a Ghost Master. He's supposed to preach gloom and doom. It's his job. Me, I'm a scientist. I ain't gonna believe anythin' till I have some proof." 

Aurora nodded and decided not to say anything more. Again, she thought of the vision of the man at the stake. Was it some kind of warning? Should she tell Laine about it? No, on second thought, better keep it quiet. Laine already seemed to think she was a bit crazy for insisting there was something following them, whether it was or not. Almost instinctively, Aurora glanced around, as if expecting to catch a glimpse of it, but it remained stubbornly invisible. 

*_I wish you'd come out and show yourself,_* she thought. *_I'm tired of knowing you're there and not seeing you._* 

_-Don't worry. I will when I'm ready.-_

Aurora just barely restrained herself from jumping; fortunately, Laine was attending to her Tyrogue at the moment and wasn't looking at her. Aurora glared fiercely, trying to find the source of the words, but now even the sense of the being was gone. 

"Can we get out of here?" she asked. "All of a sudden, I get the feeling Nick isn't the only one being bothered by spooks." 

"Whatever," said Laine, stuffing the last of her sandwich in her mouth. "Just gimme a minute to catch Sideswipe; he never wants to come back in his ball." 

It did take some doing to get the little Pokemon contained, and more to collect the rest of their group, but they managed in the end. Then they set out on the road again. 

They had made good time the previous day, thanks largely to the help of a cooperative Pidgey. He had finally left them at sunset, wishing to return to his nest to sleep, but he had assured him they were near the end of the maze and could find their way out easily enough. He proved to be right enough. After all, Laine had grown up in the shadow of the Ilex Forest, which was just as mazelike and even darker and drearier than Viridian. They had found their way through it with a minimum of mishaps, all of them easily corrected by asking the local birds for a point in the right direction. Nearing the end of the trail, Aurora was almost sorry to see the shady forest end. For the next part of their trip, they would be walking across more flat grasslands, with the sun's full force hitting them. It was afternoon, now, too, and the sun's full force would be quite warm indeed. It was with some reluctance that they passed through the gatehouse at the edge of the forest. 

"Good afternoon, ladies!" said the woman at the desk. "And where are you off to?" 

"We're going to Pewter City," said Aurora. 

"Ah... are you trainers?" asked the woman uncertainly. "You are aware that trainers are prohibited from leaving their towns?" 

Aurora sighed; she had hoped this pleasant-looking woman wouldn't bother them about such things. 

"We have permits," she said. "We're doing a special favor for Lance." 

"Ah, I see," said the woman, nodding. "Well, I suppose that's all right, then... I have to admit, there have been a surprising number of people coming through here, considering there isn't supposed to be any travel. First there was that young Blackbelt, and another young girl, and that fellow in red..." 

"Back up," said Laine. "Did you say there was a guy in red?" 

The woman nodded. "A very strange young man. I must say I didn't care for his attitude; he was quite rude with me when I wouldn't let him through. I finally sent him by just to be rid of him. Why? Do you know him?" 

"I think we might," said Aurora. The Blackbelt was obviously Bruce, and she guessed the young girl was probably Miyuki, on her way to Cerulean City, but who could the man in red be but the one who had bothered her the day before? "Did you get a good look at him? What did he look like?" 

"Hm... Well, I'd say he was... a bit older than you two. Long blonde hair, he had, very untidy... Pale eyes, I think. Oh, and he talked with a bit of an accent. Is that the boy you're looking for?" 

"Something like that," said Aurora. "Thank you. You've been most helpful." 

"Think nothing of it, dearie. Now, you two be careful out there, and enjoy your stay in Pewter City!" 

The girls thanked her and left the gatehouse. As soon as they were outside, Laine said to Aurora, "Well, now ya know who your man in red is." 

"Not necessarily," said Aurora. "I mean, there's nothing that says there can't be two people in Kanto who wear red." 

"Yeah, but two guys in red running around when nobody's supposed to be traveling?" Laine replied. "It _has_ to be Brand. The red clothes, blonde hair, stupid snooty accent... What's he doin' out here, anyway? If we're not supposed to be travelin', he sure isn't." 

"Maybe he's actually doing his job and trying to catch the criminal," Aurora suggested. "We have no idea where Brand stands on the whole issue; we never asked him." 

"Somehow, he doesn' strike me as the open-minded type," answered Laine sullenly. 

"Well, maybe not, then," said Aurora, "but that still doesn't mean he was doing anything wrong. For that matter, we don't know that the man I saw yesterday was doing anything wrong." 

"Except that he was hangin' around the scene of a murder," Laine replied. "Get real. Even Ember said the guy sounded like trouble, and Ember oughta know a criminal when he sees one." 

"All right, all right," said Aurora. "Can we just say we don't know what's going on and get over it?" 

Laine shrugged. "That about sums up everything we've been through so far. The only stuff we find out is that we don't know even more than we thought we didn't." 

It wasn't a very promising summary, but Aurora had the feeling she was right. 

At length, they came to the boundaries of Pewter City, the famous city of stone. Aurora had to admit, it lived up to its name - the whole place looked as if it could have been carved right out of the earth. That was not to say it was boring. The girls were both frequent visitors to the town of Ecruteak, and were used to its stone architecture, with square buildings scattered across the countryside like spilled building blocks, each one the same shade of dusty tan-white. These buildings, on the other hand, came in every variety of stone: gray granite and pink, glittering white marble and feldspar that gleamed like diamond. Many of the larger structures had noble columns arrayed across their fronts, or were accented by statuary. Slate roofing was common, giving the city the deep gray gleam it was named for. The streets were paved in cobblestones of every color, shining like the contents of a jewel box in the strong sunlight. The abundance of stone in all its forms gave the city a grand and venerable air. 

"Not too bad," said Aurora, as she stood at the front gate. "Nowhere I'd want to live, but it's not bad..." 

"Stuffy," was Laine's comment. "Gimme the wide open plains any day." 

"Fear fear," Scar agreed. 

Aurora ruffled his feathers soothingly. After all, Rock was his natural enemy; she couldn't blame him for not wanting to be in this city. 

"Don't worry," she assured him. "We probably won't stay here much longer than it takes to check on-" 

"Bruce!" Laine exclaimed. "Hey, Brucie, over here!" 

She waved her hand over her head excitedly. Aurora looked up just in time to see the young man break into a jog and come running up the sidewalk. When he reached Laine's side, he scooped her up and spun her around, as easily as if she were weightless, before pulling her into a bear hug. 

"Hey, Brighteyes, I missed you," said Bruce. 

"Yeah, missed you, too," Laine answered. "You wouldn' believe what's been goin' on since we left Pallet Town." 

"I heard a little," said Bruce. "They said on the news you found a dead girl. That must have been a real mess." 

"Believe me, that's just the beginning," Laine said. "So anyway, how are things here in the City of Stone?" 

"Quiet," said Bruce. "I managed to have a meeting with the local Gym Leader... He's a pretty good guy." He grinned and pointed to his belt, where he'd pinned the Boulder Badge. "Didn't even get mad when I beat him. Y'know some people are bad sports." 

"Yes," said Aurora, thinking of Gary and Brand. "We know." 

"Anyway, he's a real stable sort - doesn't get mad easy," Bruce continued. "Wish my dad would take some lessons from him. I told him some of what we've been doing lately, and he's interested. I told him you girls would probably be showing up here soon, and he's interested in talking to you. Especially you, Aurora. I did kinda tell him you were in charge of this whole operation, so..." 

"Thanks," said Aurora. If she sounded sarcastic, Bruce missed it. He was, after all, the straightforward sort. 

"Nice to know we're expected," said Laine. "Does that mean I'm not expected to mix it up with the local Leader again? 'Cause I'd just as soon not." 

"Why not?" asked Bruce. "All he trains is Rock-types. You could beat him easy." 

"We're not here to fight," said Aurora. "We're here to talk." 

"An' 'Rora does that a whole lot better'n I do," Laine drawled. "She keeps tellin' me that, anyway." 

"I like the way you talk," said Bruce. "It's cute." 

"Whatever," said Laine, looking pleased. "Anyway, I wanted to look at the museum while I was here. Forest Guardian knows when I'll get another chance." 

"Hey, yeah, that's right! I forgot about the museum," said Bruce. "I wouldn't mind seeing that. Maybe I'll learn something. That would be new." 

Aurora thought she could see the way this conversation was going, and yielded to the inevitable. After all, she didn't really _need_ Laine at her side just to visit the local Gym Leader, and it was doubtful that Bruce could tell her anything that Leader Brock couldn't. 

"You two go on," she said. "I'll catch up to you later. Meet me at the Pokemon Center when you get done." 

"Cool!" said Laine, grinning. "You don' hafta tell me twice. C'mon, Brucie." 

The young couple made their exit, Bruce following obediently behind his girlfriend. Aurora watched them, feeling an unsettling twinge of envy. Laine and Bruce were happy together, but Aurora had no one like that for her. True, she might entertain vague dreams of a distant future, a "when I'm older" where Falkner might see her as more than just a student, but she knew those were likely to remain fantasies. 

A loud squawk pulled her from her unhappy thoughts, and Aurora managed to dredge up a smile for her partner. 

"I know you love me, Scar," she said. "That's good enough for me. Come on - let's go find the Gym." 

Finding proved not to be difficult. After all, Pewter City was really fairly small, about the same size as Violet City back in Johto, and it had been laid out neatly at ninety-five degree angles - beautifully straightforward, particularly after the winding roads of Viridian. It was logically placed in the center of the city, visible from several blocks away. Up close, it was a massive granite structure, made of rough-hewn boulders stacked on top of each other, each so craggy that it was impossible to see the mortar that held it together. It had a round roof covered in slate, and Aurora was certain that from the air, the whole thing would have looked more like a large stone hill than a building. Nevertheless, a rectangular slate sign was planted in the ground outside, with the words "Pewter City Gym" carved deeply into its surface. A row of flagstones led up to a stone porch that looked more than anything like the mouth of a cave. Aurora felt a twinge of nervousness - she didn't like caves much more than Scar did - but she pushed it away. Holding her head high, she marched up to the porch and through the front door. 

The inside of the building was not particularly reassuring, being rather dimly lit, so that it was hard to guess whether the walls and floor were colored white, or gray, or blue. There were no windows, with the only light being supplied by a few globe-shaped lamps set along the walls. Scar muttered his displeasure at the dark, enclosed space. There were doors set here and there along the walls, but they were all closed, and Aurora knew better than to try to open them. Experience told her that the room she wanted would most likely be at the far end of the hallway. 

She was right. At the end of the hall was a set of double doors bound heavily in some rough metal, like iron, but they swung inward easily when she pushed them. Beyond them was the main room of the Gym. 

This area was better lit than the hallway. Aurora recognized the bleachers that would have been filled with shouting fans, had she made arrangements for a public battle instead of a private talk. Instead, they had been retracted against the walls, leaving a wide expanse of smooth concrete floor. The only thing that interrupted its monotony was a human being, who was moving carefully through the patterns of some thoughtful battle-dance, like tai chi. He was so engrossed in what he was doing that it took a few minutes for him to realize he had company. Scar, impatient as always, gave a squawk, and the young man looked up. 

Now that he was facing her, Aurora could recognize him even in the dimly lit room as the Gym Leader Brock. In direct contrast to her fair skin and long pale hair, he was deeply tanned, and his dark hair was clipped sensibly short. He had dark eyes, too, or looked like he did; they were half-closed, fringed with long eyelashes that shadowed them. They gave him a lazy look that Aurora suspected was an illusion. He may not have been as muscled as Bruce, but there was a look of wiry strength about him that made her think he was not someone she'd want angry at her. 

"Well, hello there!" he said, flashing a grin. "I wasn't expecting you here so soon." 

"Oh, well... I had a little help along the way," said Aurora. It was hard to know what to say to a statement like that. 

"You must be Aurora," said Brock. "Your friend Bruce told me a bit about you... he didn't mention you were pretty, though." 

Aurora blushed. "Bruce couldn't. If Laine found out, she'd probably beat him up... and she could do it, too!" 

Brock laughed. "Yes, he mentioned her, too. She sounds like quite a girl... but you're the one I wanted to talk to. I understand you've been very busy the last few days. Leader Bruce said you might explain it to me." 

"Um, yes," Aurora answered. "I guess you know what's been going on lately..." 

"As well as anyone," said Brock. "I remember you speaking out at the meeting. You don't believe Team Rocket has anything to do with all this?" 

"Right," said Aurora, nodding. Then, unsure whether it was really wise to be that positive just yet, she added, "What about you?" 

"I don't like jumping to conclusions," said Brock. "So far, I haven't heard anyone say anything that really convinces me Team Rocket's behind all this... Then again, I haven't heard anyone convince me they aren't. I want to hear if you have anything convincing to say." 

"Oh," she said. "Well... what would you like to know?" 

"Well, for starters," he answered, "whether or not you're someone I trust. I hear you're a pretty good trainer. Is that right?" 

She blushed again. "Pretty good, I think." 

"How good?" 

"Umm... well, I win three out of five matches with the challengers at the Gym, but I'm not allowed to use my own Pokemon on beginners - I have to borrow Falkner's. When I'm challenging the Junior Trainers with my own Pokemon, I do a lot better - almost nine out of ten. Against Falkner I only win one out of three. One out of five, against Morty. Jasmine came to visit one time, and she pulled out a Skarmory I didn't know she had and creamed me. I don't even _try_ to fight with Pryce." 

"Pretty good, then," said Brock, nodding as if the answer meant something. He gave her a conspirational grin. "How do you think you'd do against me?" 

Aurora hesitated. She could tell from his smile that he wasn't trying to antagonize her - this would be a friendly match, should she choose to accept the challenge. On the other hand, she also got the feeling he was sizing her up, trying to see just how serious she was. If she backed down, would he think she was a coward? But most of her Pokemon were Flying-types, weak against the Rock-type. She was more than likely to be beaten. Still, if she didn't even try, was she really worth taking seriously? 

"Why don't we find out?" she asked. 

He grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that! I never turn down a challenge from a pretty girl. Better get ready, 'cause I'm not holding back!" 

Aurora stepped back, leaving room for Scar to battle. Brock backed away as well, reaching for his PokeBalls. He selected one and lobbed it high into the air. 

"Onix, go!" 

"Yipes!" said Aurora. What a way to start a battle! "Scar, blind him!" 

Scar obediently fanned his wings, stirring up clouds of dust that momentarily hid him from the stone serpent's eyes. In that haze, he was able to duck off the playing field. In his place, Aurora released Rusty the Skarmory. At least his steel feathers gave him some protection. When he saw his opponent, he let out a battle cry like the shriek of a rusty hinge and dove at the Onix to batter with his powerful wings. 

For a moment, the Onix, with his eyes still full of sand, was unable to defend himself. Rusty used this momentary advantage to the fullest, scratching and pecking furiously. Unfortunately, he couldn't stand up to the giant Pokemon for long, and a sweep of the Onix's tail sent him flying across the room. Aurora winced as he crashed noisily to the floor. Rusty was her most powerful Pokemon, and without him... 

Well, there was no time to fret about that now. She recalled him and sent out Blabberbeak. He sized up the situation and gave a loud squawk, as if to say, "You expect me to take on _that_?" Nevertheless, he did what he could. His Dark-type attacks were effective against the snake, and he was fairly adept at keeping out of the way. The Onix had trouble keeping his eye on the black bird long enough to attack. Finally, he began lashing his tail in frustration, sending down a shower of rocks that pounded Blabberbeak out of the air. He gave a raucous cry and fell. 

"Not good, not good," Aurora muttered, picking through her PokeBalls and trying to make her next choice. She wanted to save at least some of her strong Pokemon in case Brock pulled out any more surprises, but if she didn't do something soon, _this_ surprise was going to wipe her out completely. 

"Frightful, go!" 

Her faithful Crobat fluttered into action. There wasn't a lot he could do against such a massive foe as the Onix - but then, there wasn't a lot he needed to do. The last two attackers had worn him down to the point where only a few Bites would finish him off. Ponderously, the Onix began to sway in place, swinging slowly down to the earth to land with a bone-shaking crash. Brock recalled him and prepared to choose another Ball. 

"You _are_ good," he said with admiration. "Not many Bird Keepers can take out an Onix." 

"Not much worse than beating Jasmine's Steelix," said Aurora. 

"You're going to have to tell me about that," Brock replied, "right after you finish with my Graveler." 

The Graveler burst onto the scene almost too fast for Aurora to react to it. That was all right, though, because Frightful's reflexes were faster than hers, and he dove at the creature, attempting to bite it with his sharp teeth. The Graveler responded by pitching a heavy stone at the bat, striking him solidly and sending him falling out of the air with a squeak. Aurora bit her lip in consternation as she recalled him; he'd barely had a chance to get in one good attack. 

*_How many more Pokemon does he have?_* she wondered. *_Berry's so small, he doesn't have a chance against one of these things... and poor Scar won't do much better. If I lose Moondancer now, and Brock sends out something else, I don't have a chance..._* 

"Okay, Scar, let's see what you can do!" 

Scar screeched and dove into the fray. His broad wings stirred up clouds of dust that blinded his opponent, leaving him free to attack unhindered. He may have been a Flying-type, but he knew Pursuit, a Dark move that would have at least a little effect on this rock creature. Unfortunately, all it took was a single Rockslide to put Scar out of commission, and he fell to the ground in a sad crumple of feathers. 

Holding back tears, Aurora opened Moondancer's PokeBall. It always hurt her to see her Pokemon getting hurt, Scar in particular. He'd be furious when he woke up; he hated losing even more than she did. She almost missed it when Moondancer delivered a final Faint Attack that topped the Graveler. Moondancer trotted to Aurora's feet, looking battered and exhausted, but still pleased with herself. 

*_Let it be over,_* Aurora thought silently. *_Please, let it be over..._* 

There was a flash as the Graveler was recalled to his PokeBall... and replaced by a Donphan. Aurora resisted the urge to moan. 

"Sorry, Moondancer," she said. "Looks like your job's not over yet." 

Moondancer gave a bark and jumped into action - and was just barely able to get out of the way as the elephantine creature rolled her way like a boulder. She managed to attack it from the side as it rolled by, and both of them fell down on opposite sides of the arena. The Donphan uncoiled itself and sprang to its feet, but Moondancer was slower in recovering. She struggled to get her paws underneath her and ready her next attack, but Aurora could see the result was inevitable. 

*_This is pointless. He's just too strong,_* she thought. *_I should give up, before any more Pokemon are hurt..._* Then she shook her head. She'd come this far, and she was not going to give up now. If she was going to lose, she'd at least go down fighting. 

Moondancer finally collapsed, and Aurora withdrew her, sending out her last partner. Berry rose into the air with a whir of his tiny wings. 

"Do your best, Berry!" Aurora urged him. 

Berry gave a trill and flew off, hovering high above his enemy, who looked up at him in consternation. The little Natu glared down at the Donphan, and there was a strange warping in the air. For no visible reason, the Donphan suddenly rocked back as if struck by an invisible blow, and began staggering about in a daze. Aurora realized that he'd been hit by a Confusion attack, courtesy of her little Psychic Pokemon. Rock skin was no defense against a Psychic barrage! More than that, the Donphan had been confused, and was now attacking randomly, only managing to injure himself further as he ran into walls or tripped over his own feet. Berry trilled again, hitting him with a few more Confusions. None of them were doing a lot of damage - Berry was, after all, only a very small Pokemon - but they were gradually wearing the creature down. All it would take was just a little more, and Aurora felt a weird sense of wonder, a feeling that somehow, she might just win. 

Suddenly, several things happened at once. Berry soared high into the air, then wheeled and dove, giving a high-pitched battle cry. Aurora saw his wings extend, and a strange shimmer seemed to come over them, as if they had suddenly turned into metal... 

_... It is already happening. The end of the League..._

Aurora shook off the disorienting sensation of having a voice whisper into her ear. It was the same voice she'd heard when she'd seen her vision of the shining mountain. Now it was gone, and all she could hear was Brock shouting an order to his Pokemon. 

"Selfdestruct!" 

There was a rocking explosion. Both Berry and the Donphan fell to the floor in faints. Brock casually withdrew his partner, and Aurora, with her hands still shaking, copied his example. 

"Game over," said Brock. 

"Who won?" asked Aurora, a little dazed. She was getting very tired of hearing voices in her head. Maybe she really was going crazy! 

Brock grinned. "Neither of us. It's a draw. It's been a long time since I've had that happen." 

"You used Selfdestruct," Aurora said. "If you hadn't given up..." 

"If I hadn't given up, that Natu of yours would have taken poor Donphan out," Brock finished. "I just wanted to finish the match on my terms. You're very good! In a couple more years, you might actually be able to beat me outright." 

Suddenly, Aurora felt a lot better. "Thanks. You're good, too. Maybe we can fight again sometime." 

"Believe me, _any_ time you want to come visit is fine." He smiled at her again, and she felt her cheeks color as she realized he was flirting with her. 

Turning serious, he continued, "That's quite an impressive Natu you've got there. It's not every day I see one who knows Steel Wing. Did you teach it to him?" 

"No, I didn't. He's still pretty new to me. I didn't even know he _knew_ Steel Wing." 

"Hm," said Brock thoughtfully. "Steel Wing isn't something he could learn on his own. If you didn't teach him, that would mean he probably inherited it. Who were his parents?" 

"I don't know," Aurora was forced to admit. "I mean, I know his mother was Falkner's favorite Xatu, but nobody ever owned up to being his father." 

"I see," said Brock. "You know, I have an interest in breeding Pokemon - it's sort of a hobby. There are some moves that young Pokemon can inherit from their parents. Odds are, if his mother doesn't already know the move, he probably inherited it from his father. If you can figure out which Pokemon knows that move, you might be able to figure out who the father was." 

"I see," said Aurora thoughtfully. She ran her hand over Rusty's PokeBall. "That's very interesting. I'm going to have to have a talk with my Skarmory." 

Brock laughed. "You know, I really think you're all right. I can't believe anyone like you is mixed up in all this trouble. There's no way a dedicated trainer like you would be working against the League." 

"Thanks," said Aurora. She allowed herself a smile. "I think you're all right, too." 

"I hope so," he said. "So, now we can talk. What exactly is it that you're trying to do?" 

"The same thing any trainer dedicated to the League would be doing in a situation like this," Aurora replied. "Trying to find out the cause behind all this trouble and stop it... _and_ to clear Ember's name. I _know_ he's not guilty. Maybe my testimony isn't very convincing, but... he's my friend. We've been friends for years - after everything we've been through, I ought to know he's trustworthy. He's as devoted to the League as anyone. Even now, after everything that's happened to him, he's still working with us, trying to help us find the murderer before anything worse happens." 

Brock nodded. "Things are starting to get bad right now. The latest news is that Bruno of the Elite Four has quit. He doesn't like the allegations that are coming up against Lance, and he doesn't want any part of it. Some of the other Gym Leaders are talking, and I don't like the way it sounds..." 

"How does it sound?" 

"Well... I don't like spreading rumors like this, but... there have been some whispers about throwing Lance out of office." 

Aurora gasped. "They can't do that!" 

"They might," said Brock with a shrug. "He's been the Reigning Champion for a long time, now. They say he's not doing his job right anymore. They think someone else might do better. There's a lot of talk about appointing someone who will wipe Team Rocket out once and for all..." 

"If they try it, there'll be chaos," said Aurora. "And it still won't stop the murderer!" 

Brock gave her a thoughtful look. "You believe that?" 

"Yes," she said. "Ember is a good leader. Right now, he's keeping Team Rocket in check. He makes them abide by rules - keeps them from doing anything _really_ awful. If you broke up the team, they would just do whatever they felt like..." 

"There's some sense in that," said Brock slowly. "All right, then... what do you want me to do about it?" 

"Help us. Help us any way you can. Try to convince people that Ember and Lance are innocent. Do what you can to look for the real problem. Listen to what the other Leaders are saying and keep us informed." 

There was a long, thoughtful silence, as the Rock Master considered all this. 

"I can do that," he said at last. "I may not know everything, but I do know this whole situation is bad for the League. I'm loyal to the League, and to Lance. Anything I can do to help, I will." 

Aurora beamed. "Thanks. Thank you very, very much. You won't regret it." 

"Somehow, I don't think I will," he replied. He grinned. "So, how about giving me your phone number? You know, so we can keep in touch... just in case I learn something interesting." He winked at her. 

"Of course," she said, laughing a bit. She wrote down her number and handed it to him. 

The two said their goodbyes, Aurora explaining that she had to take her Pokemon to the Pokemon Center to be revived. While she had been assured that they felt no discomfort as long as they were safe in their PokeBalls, she still hated to leave them injured for any longer than she absolutely had to. As she was leaving, Brock called out to her. 

"Hey, wait up!" 

She turned around. "What?" 

"Catch!" 

He lobbed something sparkly across the room, and she cupped her hands and caught it. It was a Badge. 

"What's this for?" she said. "I mean, I didn't exactly win..." 

"You didn't exactly, lose, either," he replied. "Besides, those Pokemon are a lot stronger than the ones I usually use for Gym Battles. You deserve the Badge. Keep it... as a sign I trust you." 

She smiled. "Thanks!" 

Aurora left the Gym smiling. She decided rocks and Rock Pokemon weren't really as bad as she'd thought they were. 

~*~

Bruce pressed his nose against a glass case, trying to get a better look at the fossils it contained. 

"Wow, would you look at this thing!" he enthused. "I wouldn't want to meet one of these in a dark alley, would you?" 

"I met one before," said Laine, stepping over to join him. "Ember's got an Aerodactyl, y'know... This one's a lot bigger, though. Musta been somethin' when it was alive. Sure wouldn' want one angry at me... but I wouldn't mind havin' one if it was tame." 

Bruce laughed. "You want one of _all_ the Pokemon." 

"Not all of 'em," Laine replied. "Just the interestin' ones. Y'know, what I'd really like is a Porygon." 

"Those are expensive," said Bruce. "Don't expect one for your birthday." 

"Okay. How 'bout a Lickitung? Those are cool." 

Happily discussing the merits of various rare Pokemon, the two of them finished their tour of the museum and stepped back outside. Laine could have happily spent another hour or two there, but a glance at her watch was telling her that the day was drawing to a close, and she was fairly certain Aurora would be done talking to Brock by now. Still, there was no reason to rush, not when meeting up with Aurora would mean the end of their peaceful afternoon together. The couple ambled down the cobblestone streets with no intention of spending their last few minutes together thinking about anything serious. 

That was before they saw the man in red. 

Laine only got a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, but he was not exactly hard to miss - people who dressed from head to toe in bright red tended to stand out in a crowd. No sooner had she laid eyes on him, though, when he disappeared around a corner. 

"Did you see that?" Laine asked. 

"See what?" asked Bruce. 

"That guy who just went around the corner. The one all dressed in red." 

"Maybe. Is it important?" 

"Maybe. Mind if we take a closer look?" 

"Might as well," Bruce replied. 

They picked up their pace a bit, staying just below a speed that might have drawn attention to them, and slipped around the corner where the man in red had vanished. Now they could see him striding up the road before them, looking this way and that like some raptorial bird in search of prey. He was indeed the man the woman at the gatehouse had described him: dressed from top to bottom in brilliant red, with flyaway blonde hair and an arrogant expression. Laine recognized him instantly. 

"I knew it!" she whispered triumphantly. "That's Brand!" 

"Brand?" Bruce repeated, bewildered. "Who's Brand?" 

"Blaine's Apprentice," Laine replied. "Well, he claims he's the Gym Leader now - says Blaine took off and left him in charge. I don' trust him further than I could throw Roadblock." 

"What are we going to do about him, then?" 

Laine shrugged. "How 'bout we talk to him and ask what he's up to? Ain't like he can do anything dangerous in the middle of a street full of people." 

"Well... if you say so." 

"Hey, I ain't worried! I got you to watch my back, right?" 

"True. Okay. You're the boss!" 

"'Course I am. Sit back an' let me do the talking." 

Bruce nodded agreeably; that was what he usually did, anyway. 

Head held high, Laine marched confidently up the street to catch Brand's sleeve. Up close, she could see he was dressed a shade or two more sensibly than he had been before - at least his clothes didn't have all the silly gold patterns and decorations, but were made instead of some tough fabric that could handle the strain of traveling. His boots and trouser cuffs were dusty, as from much walking, and his hair looked even untidier than it had before. He turned on Laine with malice in his eyes. 

"You again," he said. "I thought I'd seen the last of you and your little friend." 

"Yeah, well, life's funny like that," said Laine. "Saw you comin' up the street and thought I'd check up on you. What brings you to the City of Stone? Somehow, I don' see you as the kind to come out to see the museum." 

"It's no business of yours," said Brand primly. Laine frowned; the woman at the gatehouse had been right. He did speak with an accent, though not a very pronounced one - not a drawl like hers, but something brisk and clipped. It made her wonder just where he had come from. "This is Gym business, and has nothing to do with you." 

"Oh, I like that," said Laine. "Whaddaya think I'm doing out here, collectin' pebbles?" 

"I couldn't care less," Brand answered loftily. 

"Too bad, 'cause I'm gonna tell ya anyway. I'm out here on Gym business, too. Direct from Lance, in case ya forgot. So ya might as well talk to me." 

"I have nothing to say," said Brand. 

"You can answer my question." 

"I don't see why I should." 

He began trying to walk off, but was startled by having Bruce step in front of him. Bruce was taller than him by a few inches, and a good deal broader. The young fighter folded his arms across his chest and planted his feet. It was as if a small mountain had abruptly sprouted in the middle of the road. Brand looked nonplussed. 

"I think maybe you should talk to her," said Bruce quietly. 

"Ahem," said Brand. "Yes, well. I take your point. Very well, then. Ask your questions, and make it quick. I am in no mood to dawdle." 

"Fine," said Laine, flashing a grin at Bruce. "So, why _are_ you in Pewter City? Why aren't you back on Cinnabar, watchin' your Gym?" 

"Well..." said Brand slowly, "if you must know... I'm looking for Blaine." 

Laine frowned. "Is that so?" 

"Yes," Brand replied, raising his chin defiantly. "In case you haven't heard, he's vanished." 

"We heard that a long time ago," said Laine dismissively. 

"Yes... well... It took me some time to realize he wasn't where he was supposed to be. You know he told me he was going to Pallet Town, so I assumed that was where he was, and since he'd taken the trouble to install me as Leader, I didn't see any immediate reason why he would have to come back. Naturally, when Lance's people contacted me to ask if I knew where he was, I was surprised as anyone. Blaine was a good teacher to me... I feel obligated to search for him." 

"I see," said Laine thoughtfully. "So... have you heard anything?" 

"Not a word," Brand replied. "Nevertheless, it behooves me to try. I know he had friends among the scientists who study at the museum, so I thought I would talk to them and see if perhaps they knew anything. Is that a thorough enough explanation for you?" 

"I guess it'll have to do," said Laine. 

"Good," said Brand. "If that is the case, I beg you to excuse me." 

With that, he shouldered rudely past Bruce and continued stalking up the road without a backward glance. Laine glowered at him. 

"Well, _that_ was enlightening," she said. "Not." 

"Why not?" asked Bruce. "He answered your question, didn't he?" 

"Yeah," said Laine. "I'm just not so sure I believe his answer. Come on. Let's go find 'Rora." 

They turned their steps toward the Pokemon Center, where they found Aurora sitting on a waiting room bench. Her PokeBalls were noticeably absent. 

"Hey," said Bruce. "You been in a fight?" 

"Yeah," Aurora answered. "Brock challenged me to a Pokemon battle, so I thought I'd go along with it." 

"Cool," he replied. "Did you win?" 

"I think we tied," Aurora said. "He gave me a Badge, anyway, but he didn't pay the forfeit like usual. I think that's close enough to fair, don't you? Now I'm just waiting for them to put my Pokemon back together again. Poor Scar is going to be in a rotten mood for days after this. He hates losing... So, what have you two been up to? Have fun at the museum?" 

"Yeah," said Laine. "Hey, listen what happened! We ran into Brand!" 

"Really?" asked Aurora. "What's he doing here?" 

"Looking for Blaine, or so he says," Laine replied. "Looks like the old guy never made it back to Cinnabar." 

"Hmm," said Aurora. "I wonder what happened to him?" 

"Who knows?" Laine replied. "I dunno if I bought that explanation. It's kinda hard to imagine a guy like Brand comin' all this way on foot just outta the goodness of his heart." 

"Are you still convinced he's our man in red?" 

"Why not? Come on, it all fits." 

"You're too suspicious," said Aurora. "Just because you don't like him doesn't make him a villain." 

Laine didn't look very convinced, but she declined to continue the argument. It was just as well, because now even Aurora was starting to have second thoughts. She thought again of the man in red and his eerie silence... was it because he had feared she might recognize his distinctive accent? Then, too, there was the mysterious vision of the man in the flames... 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Aurora's Pokemon - five Pokeballs and one extremely annoyed Scar, who squawked his displeasure with being beaten and his intention to return to the Gym and show Brock what he could _really_ do, and it was all Aurora could do to convince him he didn't really need to go back and beat those rocks into gravel. Once he'd been showed her new Boulder Badge, and had been convinced he really hadn't failed her, he calmed a bit, and the group was able to step out of the Pokemon Center. 

"So, where to now?" asked Laine. "I don't guess we're gonna hang around much longer, are we?" 

Aurora shook her head. "I think we've done all we can do here. Anyway, Brock _did_ agree to help us any way he can - he's going to keeping an ear out for anything strange going on, and he said he'd let me know if something came up." 

"I suppose he asked for your phone number?" asked Bruce with a teasing grin. 

"Well... yeah," said Aurora, blushing. 

Bruce laughed. "Figures. That's one good reason why I didn't want Laine to come with you - Brock's a notorious girl-chaser. I figure I don't need any competition." 

"Aw, c'mon, Brucie," said Laine. "You oughta trust me more than that!" 

"I do! It's _him_ I don't trust." 

Aurora listened to the two of them argue, smiling to herself. She decided she hadn't really minded the Gym Leader's teasing. It was sort of nice to feel she might be attractive to someone. Maybe someday she would find a real human partner for herself, just as Laine had... 

As she reached the gates of the city, her thoughts were interrupted by a shadow that fell over the three of them. As they looked up, they saw a Pidegeot circling over them. Aurora thought she recognized it, and waved. The bird trilled and dropped out of the sky to land next to her. 

_Greetings,_ he said to her. _I'm glad I found you. You didn't tell me you were going to be traveling. Fortunately my friends in the forest saw you coming here, and directed me._

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Aurora. "I didn't mean to make things difficult for you." 

_You are forgiven,_ said the Pidgeot graciously. _I have enjoyed the journey. Your friend in Violet City is a most charming human. I've never seen so many humans who spoke bird-language until now. It has been educational._

"I'm glad you've enjoyed it," Aurora replied. "Um... did my friend Falkner send any return messages? I don't mean to cut our conversation short, you understand, but it might be important." 

_I guessed it might be. Your friend was most agitated when I found him. Polite, you understand, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. It took him some time, but he did inscribe a message. I have it here._

He extended a leg, on which a scrap of paper had been tied with the blue string Falkner used for such purposes. Aurora untied it eagerly, but the letter proved to be a disappointment. Ordinarily, Falkner was a good letter writer. Once, Aurora had asked him for his phone number, and he had declined. She had learned later that Falkner's declination had been largely based on the fact that he disliked telephones, and didn't keep one in his office. He preferred the personal touch whenever possible, and enjoyed writing out long letters with fine pens and stationary. Given the opportunity, he would happily go on for pages of details, all written in a graceful cursive hand that was so perfect as to seem artificial. This letter was a sad example of his art, being only a note that had obviously been dashed out in a hurry on a stray scrap of notebook paper. 

"_Aurora - I am very busy at present, and regret I can't send a proper letter. There are a lot of arrangements I must make right now. I don't want to say anything too soon and jinx it, but I might just have a surprise waiting for you when you get home. Don't worry, it's something good! I've asked Morty, and he says there have been no reported sightings of a legendary Pokemon in Viridian City or its environs. He says if you see one, let him know. About the odd Badge you found: yes, it is a Gym Badge, but one that's out of circulation. If you think it's important, I'll have someone look up the information on it and send it to you. As for the Gym Leader of Cinnabar, I assume you mean young Brand. Don't worry about him. His loyalty to the League borders on the fanatical. I'd sooner expect Morty to turn on us than Brand. Good luck on your search - Falkner._" 

"What's it say? Lemme see!" Laine said. 

"It doesn't say much," said Aurora, still staring at the note. 

She felt a vague sense of unease. What could be going on over there that was so pressing, Falkner couldn't even afford time to write a letter to his own apprentice? He was making arrangements, he said. Arrangements for what? She didn't think she liked the sound of that. On the other hand, perhaps he was just being worked too hard, as he often was. Keeping up with all the news in Johto and a few other places besides was a job even at the best of times. Right now, with a criminal on the loose and the Pokemon League in uproar, she imagined he was up to his ears in information, news, gossip, and rumors that had to be sorted, filed, and reported to the proper authorities. More than once, she'd seen him staying up until three or four in the morning when things were particularly hectic. Often she'd stay up with him, assisting him with sifting through his papers or just helping him stay awake, until he would finally send her off to sleep. How was he doing without her? She hoped he was all right... 

"Well?" Laine demanded. "Are you gonna tell us what it does say, or are you just gonna stare off into space all afternoon?" 

"Hm? Oh!" said Aurora. "Um... Well, Falkner says he talked to Morty, and he says there are no legendary Pokemon in Viridian City, as far as he knows." 

"That's a lotta help," Laine muttered. 

"He also says the Badge thing Blabberbeak brought me is a legitimate Badge, but it's not one they use anymore. He's going to send me the information on it as soon as he can get his hands free," Aurora continued. "He sounds like he's really busy, though. I'm a little worried about him." 

"Good grief," said Bruce. "You mean to tell me you're out here running around trying to find a crazed killer by making yourself a target for him, when half the League is against you at that, and you're worried about _Falkner_?" 

Aurora blushed. "Well, I can keep an eye on me. I can't look out for Falkner when he's on the other side of the ocean." 

"I think Brucie's still got the right idea," said Laine. "Y'oughta be lookin' out for yourself... especially now that we're bein' followed. 

Aurora glared. "You aren't still going on about Brand, are you?" 

"Why not?" 

"Well, I asked Falkner, and _he_ says Brand is all right." 

"Yeah, well, Falkner can't know everything about everyone," Laine muttered, but she didn't press the issue. She would have had to be a lot crazier than she was before she started accusing Falkner of being anything short of perfect while Aurora was around. 

The Pidgeot, meanwhile, had been listening in on their conversation with an expression of interest. 

_I take it there are unhappy developments in progress?_ he said. 

"Oh!" said Aurora. In light of her worries about her teacher, she had forgotten about the Pidgeot. "Yes, things have been a little... complicated... lately." 

_I understand,_ said the bird. _The other Pokemon of the forest have been restless, as of late. They sense something is not as it should be. I can tell by your Badges and your bearing that you are a trainer of some authority. Are you, then, trying to make things right?_

"Yes," said Aurora. "That's what all of us are doing." 

_May I help?_

"Well, I don't know. It may not be exactly safe..." 

The Pidgeot furled and unfurled his wings in an avian shrug. _I have long believed that it is better to fight danger than to try to hide from it. The only way to win battles is to fight them. Besides, life in the forest grows dull. There are no challenges for me there. I would prefer to be doing something useful._

"Well..." said Aurora slowly. "Now that you mention it, I _have_ been thinking it's about time I found some new partners. Do you have a name?" 

_No humans have ever presumed to name me,_ the bird replied, _but the Pidgeys of the forest call me Grandwing._ He spread his impressive wings wide, showing off his crimson and gold pinfeathers. 

Aurora smiled. "Well, Grandwing, how would you like a trainer?" 

Grandwing bowed. _Delighted._

"Same here," Aurora replied. "Welcome aboard, Grandwing." 

She produced a PokeBall and held it open, and Grandwing gave a screech of goodbye before vanishing inside it. Aurora shut the ball with a satisfying snap. 

"That went pretty well, don't you think?" she said. 

"Great," Laine agreed. "Just like my dad used to say - you can never have too many Pokemon around." 

"Good way to end a day," Bruce agreed. He looked off to the western sky, which was beginning to turn golden on its way to sunset. "I guess the day is over, isn't it?" 

"Guess so," said Aurora. "Time to hit the road again..." 

"Are you sure you can't stay a while longer?" Bruce asked. 

Aurora shook her head. "I don't think we should waste time. We can still make it most of the way to Mt. Moon, I think, if we leave now." 

"Yeah, prob'ly," said Laine with a sigh. She didn't look like she wanted to leave, either. "Don' worry, Brucie. You know I always come back." 

"Yeah, I know," he said. "Stay safe, both of you!" 

"We will!" Laine promised. "And don't you let that wacko get you! If you do, I'll... I'll have Nick chase your ghost down an' bring it to me so I can punish you!" 

Bruce promised he would be very careful indeed. With his goodbyes ringing in their ears, they set out through the gate and down the road to Mt. Moon. 

Evening came over them quickly - much more quickly than Aurora had expected. Still, they managed to make good time, hiking swiftly and silently over the increasingly rocky terrain. Even after the sun had set, they pressed on until the very last shreds of light had faded, leaving them on the moonlit side of a mountain. A night wind picked up around them, making Laine's neat hair come unraveled into a tangle of curls and tugging at Aurora's long braid. A few clouds scudded across the sky, casting rippling shadows across the earth. The moon that night was nearly full, lighting everything up nearly as bright as day, but the moving shadows were eerie, as were the clouds themselves, gliding like swift ghosts and creating muted rainbows as they crossed the moon's path. 

"This is creepy," Aurora said. "Can we stop and make camp?" 

Laine, in the lead, turned to look at her friend. "Are you sure? There's a Pokemon Center at the mouth of the Mt. Moon tunnel. We'd be safer to stop there." 

"No, I don't think so," said Aurora. She kept looking out at the moving shadows, as if each one were an enemy about to pounce. "I can't go any further in all this. I'll feel better with a campfire and our Pokemon around me." 

Laine gave her a thoughtful look. Aurora was not superstitious, and normally dark and shadows didn't bother her. Even now, she didn't look frightened, only jumpy, as if she kept hearing something she couldn't trace. She _had_ been acting strange lately, what with claiming to see visions and saying something was following her. Maybe it would be better to humor her. 

"Okay," she said. "Doesn' make that much difference to me, anyway. I don' think anythin's gonnna get us out here. There's no cover." 

They pulled together some flat rocks to make a safe spot for a fire, and a brief search revealed a few fallen tree branches that would do for kindling wood. The ever-useful Nova tracked down a dead tree and turned it into firewood with a few swift chops, and the Tyrogue Sideswipe performed a Fire Punch that made it all burst instantly into flames. 

"I can do it the old fashioned way with flint and steel," Laine said, "but this way's a whole lot quicker, doncha think?" 

Aurora nodded. She felt a lot better now that the fire was lit, but she still felt a little uneasy. She tried not to listen to the way the wind whistled around the rocks. 

At last, the two girls retired, curling up close to the warm fire. Aurora tried to sleep, or at least stay still enough to convince Laine she was asleep. She wished she knew why she felt so uneasy... not, she decided, as if she felt something bad was going to happen, but simply a feeling as if she was waiting for something to happen or something to arrive... 

*_I don't know how the Psychics stand it,_* she mused. *_Then again, they must know they're supposed to have hunches and visions. I'm not. I've always been as prosaic as a rock. Maybe there's something wrong with me..._* 

Something brushed her mind, something that tickled like a physical touch. 

_-You think you're crazy,-_ said that annoying voice. It sounded like laughter and wind, twinkled like starlight and falling water. _-You think you are, but you aren't. That's funny! Why do you think you're crazy when you're not?-_

*_Probably because I keep hearing voices in my head,_* she told it irritably. 

_-You don't think you're crazy when other Pokemon talk to you. Why is this different?- _

*_Because I can't see you, and nobody else can see you,_* Aurora replied. *_How do I know you even exist?_* 

_-Silly human, needing to see everything,-_ said the laughing voice. _-Well, maybe I've hidden long enough. I think I can trust you. Look up, look up!-_

Aurora, surprised, opened her eyes. Hovering a few feet away from the fire was... was... Aurora blinked. It was still there, warming its toes and watching her with enormous blue eyes. It blinked benignly. 

"Laine," said Aurora. "Laine, wake up and tell me you can see what I'm seeing." 

Laine muttered something unintelligible and rolled over. 

"What is it?" she mumbled. "Can't you see I'm..." 

She stopped. She had seen the thing at the fire. She rubbed her eyes and sat up with a start. 

"Great Forest Guardian!" she swore. 

The Pokemon by the fire giggled. 

_-Wrong Pokemon!-_ it said. _-I thought you knew better than that!-_

"I do!" said Laine. "I just... holy smokes, you're a..." 

"Mew!" it said. 

Laine nodded, looking a little faint. "Right." 


	6. Stage Six Girl Talk

**Girl Talk**

  


**By: SilvorMoon**

For a moment, the only thing moving in the campground was the fire, flickering and sending up tiny sparks to join with the stars. Aurora stood transfixed, half-afraid that what she was seeing would vanish if she moved. Scar had his head lowered and wings unfurled, ready to defend his trainer, should this stranger in their camp make a move to attack. Laine looked as if someone had hit her over the head with a frying pan, her mouth hanging open, her eyes slightly unfocused. The Pokemon by the fire giggled. 

-_You look so funny like that,_- he said. -_Why are you so surprised, human? You knew I was here._- 

"Well, yeah, I knew you were here, but I didn't know _you_ were here," said Aurora. She knew it sounded silly the moment it was out of her mouth, but she was in no condition to try to make it more logical. Mew laughed again. 

"Yeah, you can laugh," Laine muttered. "Sure, why should we be surprised? It's only the rarest Pokemon in the world that just showed up to visit. Sure. Great." 

-_It has been a long time,_- Mew agreed. -_I am sorry, a little, for bothering you. It has been a long time since I had any contact with humans. They make me a little shy. I wanted to follow you around a while, to get to know you, to see if you would suit._- 

"Suit?" Aurora repeated. "Suit for what." 

-_To help us._- 

As he spoke, there was a rustle around them, as if a wind had passed by, though the night was still. Scar raised his head and croaked something, and for once, Aurora was unsure what he meant. 

"Help?" Laine repeated. "Help who? With what? For cryin' out loud, you're a Legendary Pokemon! What could you need help with? We oughta be askin' you for help, not the other way 'round." 

There was a pause as Mew twitched his tail and looked thoughtful. He didn't seem bothered by Laine's outburst, but there was the feeling that it would be only polite to let him do his thinking in silence. 

-_I can do a lot,_- he said, -_but only in a small space. I am legendary among humans for my rarity, not my power. I can't do everything, or know everything. Nobody can. I was chosen to help, and to find help._- 

"And you've been following us?" asked Aurora. 

-_Yes._- 

"Well, why? Why follow us? What can we do?" 

-_I haven't decided._- 

"Well, that's a lot of help," said Laine. "If you're s'posed to be helpin', you ain't doin' much of a job." 

-_I'm getting there. I'm not serious as a rule... but this is a serious situation. Didn't your friend the Ghost trainer say so?_- 

"Nick?" Aurora offered. "He did say something strange was going on... What do you know about it?" 

-_The Ghosts are frightened,_- said Mew. -_They are sensitive, you know. Almost as good as Psychics. They know when something bad is coming. Right now, only the most sensitive feel it, but it's getting closer every day. It won't be long before every Pokemon in Kanto can feel it._- 

"Feel _what_?" asked Laine impatiently. 

-_An... upheaval. There is someone out there who wants to undo the bonds between Humans and Pokemon, and bring the world back to what it was before the Pact was made. That is why this is happening now._- 

"Whoosh!" said Laine. "Yeah, I guess that would be a reason to get upset." 

"But why would they want to do that?" Aurora asked. 

-_We don't know. It's one of the things I've been sent to find out. That's why I started following you. You two are looking for the one who is causing the trouble. We can help each other. I am very good protection, and I can help you find out things._- 

"Well... sure, I guess that sounds fair. I'll take all the help we can get," said Aurora. "Right, Laine?" 

Laine didn't appear to be listening. She had worked up her courage enough to move a bit closer to the Pokemon by the fire. 

-_Don't worry. I don't bite,_- said Mew, giggling again. -_I don't even have teeth!_- 

"You don't mind if I take a picture or something, do you?" asked Laine. 

Mew laughed. -_If you want to. It might not come out, though. Sometimes they don't._- 

"I'll take my chances," said Laine, and went to find her camera. 

-_So curious,_- Mew mused, watching the girl dig through her things for a flashcube. -_It's a pity she couldn't have met Chie. They would have gotten along well, I think._- 

"Chie..." Aurora repeated. The name sounded vaguely familiar. "Wasn't that the name of one of the First Trainers? It's been a long time since I've heard those stories." 

"That's kid stuff," said Laine, returning victorious with her camera. "My dad used to tell stories like that when I was just a kid. Nobody really believes that stuff anymore." 

-_Maybe they should,_- said Mew. -_Then we would not have this trouble now._- 

"Smile!" said Laine, holding up her camera. 

Mew turned to smile at the camera, and Laine snapped her picture. 

"Got it!" she said victoriously. "Thanks, Mew." 

-_You're welcome,_- the Pokemon answered magnanimously. 

"So, what are we supposed to do now that you're here?" asked Aurora. "Was there something you wanted us to do?" 

-_Not really. You seem to be doing a good job already,_- Mew said. -_Talk to people. Ask questions. Pay close attention to the Pokemon. And while you're at it, brush up on what you know about the First Trainers. It wouldn't hurt to know._- The little Pokemon yawned widely. -_I'm sleepy. I've followed you a long way. Can I sleep now?_- 

"I guess we should all sleep," said Aurora. "Will you still be here in the morning, Mew?" 

-_I think so,_- Mew replied. -_For a while, anyway._- 

"That's better than nothing," Laine commented. "I'm with the little guy. Let's call it a day, huh?" 

"All right," Aurora sighed. "Night, all." 

She settled herself down by the fire and closed her eyes, but sleep was a long time in coming. Every once in a while, she'd look up again, to see if there was _really_ a little pink Pokemon sitting nearby feeding twigs into the fire. She wondered why he was telling her she ought to be thinking about the First Trainers. Most people agreed they were probably just legends... but Mew was said to be the first Pokemon. He would have been there at the beginnings of Pokemon training. He might really know who the first ever Pokemon trainers had been, and he talked about the legendary Chie as if he'd known her. A thought struck her, and made her giggle slightly: did Pokemon talk about legendary humans the way the humans talked about legendary Pokemon? She was in the middle of imagining what kind of PokeBall you might catch a legendary human in when she fell asleep. 

~*~

Shadowy by nature, by choice, and by fate, Ember lurked in the shade of a few ancient oak trees and pondered the situation he was about to step into. In spite of his recent setbacks, he had made it through Mt. Moon within reasonably short order, being held up by nothing worse than a few annoying Zubats, which even his little Skystar could handle handily. That had been easy. Even years after the event, he could still see signs of former Rocket occupation there, and it had made him feel at home. He was at ease in the dark mountain tunnels. Now, though, his shadows had run out, and he was in something of a quandary as to what to do about it. 

Just beyond his sheltering trees, a road of smooth golden sand, bounded by neat rows of white stones on either side, ran down a gentle slope toward a seaside habitation. Ember could see it all clearly from where he stood: the neat little white houses, gleaming so brightly as to be dazzling in the strong sunlight, each with roofs and trim in bright, cheery colors. The streets were filled with more sand, lined with wooden boardwalks on either side. Other details were lost by distance and perspective, but he knew what he would find if he got closer. Cerulean City was well known as a resort town, and as long as the weather was warm and sunny, it would be full of vacationers packing swimsuits and parasols and picnic lunches, bent on having a good time. It was all so relentlessly cheerful that Ember felt like forgetting he'd ever made any promises and turning right around and go back to his dark, dignified Blackthorn City. 

"Not that there's any point in thinking like that," he told himself. "This would be so much easier if I could just Fly to Saffron and be done with it." 

Unfortunately, there wasn't any real choice in that matter. A flaming Charizard roaring through the air, especially in a place like this where Water was the reigning element, was a rare sight, and the last thing he wanted was to attract attention. Taking a breath and chiding himself for being foolish, he walked down the path to the city. 

There was no wall around the city, as there was in some other places; it settled here and there among the hillsides as if it had been poured down from above and allowed to spill and splatter where it pleased. Therefore, the checkpoint set up next to the road had a rather hastily erected feel to it; in a former life, it could have been a lemonade stand. It looked like it had been made of packing crates hastily tossed together, with a red and white shade hung over it to keep off the all-pervasive sunlight. There was even a jug of lemonade and some cups strewn over its surface. Ember half expected the young women who were presiding over it to ask him to buy some. 

It was unfortunate that they weren't interested in selling any. He had been wearing his heavy denim jacket this far, but the trek down the sun-soaked path had overheated him to the point where he'd had to take it off. Even that wasn't a whole lot better, as he was wearing a black shirt underneath that greedily soaked up the sun's heat, and he was feeling overwarm and a trifle thirsty by the time he reached the town. He would have gladly bought lemonade from them if that's what they had wanted, but what they really wanted... 

"Hi there!" chirped one of the young ladies. Ember, who had been ignoring them up until that point, fixed her with a glare. She looked to be a year or two younger than himself, with sun- bleached blonde hair and suntanned skin, which was effectively revealed by the swimsuit she was wearing. Her friend was darker haired but equally tanned and similarly dressed. They were both fixing him with speculative looks. 

"Hello," said Ember with a flat inflection. He picked up his pace a bit. 

"Hey, where are you going?" asked the brunette. "Don't run off so fast!" 

"We can't let you in there, you know," said the blonde. "The roads are closed." 

"It's just too sad," said the brunette. "There haven't been any new trainers here in days, and we're bored. Hey, why don't you stay and chat with us a while? Have a drink. You look thirsty." 

"And hot," the blonde chimed in. Both girls giggled. 

Ember resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Now he thought he knew what was going on - he'd gotten this type of treatment from a few of the young female Rockets under his supervision. He didn't find it particularly flattering. In fact, it was a grating annoyance, one he could have happily done without. Objectively, these two _were_ attractive, but he disliked aggressive females, and anyway... 

"Look," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "I don't think you understand. I have important business to take care of. I have to get into the city. I-" 

"Ooh!" said one of the girls, who had obviously not been listening to a word he said. "Look at the baby dragon! Isn't it sweet?" 

Skystar, who had been riding proudly on her trainer's shoulders, raised her and cheeped a request for information. 

~_Who are they?_~ she asked. Her voice always sounded to Ember like a small child's voice, soft and breathy. ~_Are they looking at me?_~ 

"I don't know who they are," Ember told her, "and yes, they're looking at you." 

Skystar wrapped her tail more tightly around his shoulder and tried to hide her head against his shirt. She wasn't always comfortable with the attention of strangers. 

"Oh, did we scare it?" asked the blonde. "I'm sorry. Listen, little one, I won't hurt you. My name's Brooke, and this is my friend Shelley. We work at Misty's Gym. We'd never, ever, hurt a cute little Pokemon like you." 

Skystar remained stubbornly hidden. She knew firsthand that working at a Gym was not necessarily proof that a person was harmless. 

"We don't get to see too many people with Dratinis around here," said Lynn. "You must be a _fantastic_ trainer. Do you have many Badges?" 

"A few," Ember replied brusquely. 

"Ooh!" said Brooke. "I only have two. Do you think maybe you could give us some pointers?" 

Shelley nodded eagerly. "You look like you're really strong. I bet you could show us all _kinds_ of things." She giggled again. 

Ember wished he could follow Skystar's example and hide behind something. Much as he would love to tell these two in great detail why he wanted nothing to do with them, his better judgement told him it would be a bad idea. If he made them angry, they were likely to go back to Misty and tell her that there was a suspicious character lurking around outside of town, just to punish him for his rejection. If Misty heard that there was a shady redheaded character carrying a dragon hanging around her city, she would recognize him at once and call out every trainer in the city to hunt him down and most likely have him fed to a Tentacruel, or something equally enjoyable. 

"Not today," he said. "If the road to the city is closed, I won't take any more of your time. Good day." 

He turned around and walked off as quickly as he could manage without breaking into a run. As soon as he found anything resembling cover, he ducked out of sight. Feeling somewhat safer in the shadow of a mountain boulder, he pondered his options. Flying to Saffron City was still too dangerous. He could walk openly, but that would leave him visible to both the Pokemon League as well as whoever was at the root of all this trouble. He had wanted to take an underground path, but the entrance was located behind an ornamental fountain in the town, and he wasn't sure how to get to it without replaying more scenes like the one he'd just gone through. The funloving people of Cerulean weren't likely to let him get by without joining the party, and rejecting them would draw the attention of more intelligent people who would be suspicious of a stranger in their midst. After considering his options for a long time, he decided there was only one choice for him... and that was to wait. 

~*~

Morning came noisily. Aurora, only halfway rested after her interrupted night, opened bleary eyes to see what was causing all the racket. The cause was immediately obvious: a Pidgeotto, a Spearow, and Scar were all in the middle of a noisy quarrel. She watched in dismay as the three of them tussled around the campsite in a blur of feathers, claws, and beaks. Laine, meanwhile, had awakened with a few muttered swearwords expressing her displeasure at being roused so early, and then had pulled a canteen from her supplies and doused all three birds with a splash of water. They broke apart with squawks of consternation. 

"That's enough," Aurora told them sternly. "Scar, you know better than that!" 

Scar squawked at her - not an apology; he seldom if ever apologized. Instead, he tried to excuse himself by claiming that both birds had been sneaking around her while she was sleeping. The intruders shrieked denials, and Aurora clapped her hands over her ears. 

"You still know better than that," she told Scar. She looked at one of the birds again and blinked. "You _definitely_ know better than that - this is one of Falkner's!" 

And so it was: the Pidgeotto was one of Falkner's best fighting birds, one he often used in Gym battles. Now that it was sitting still, she realized that it had a letter tied to its leg with a piece of blue string. She also noticed that the other bird was likewise carrying a piece of notebook paper in its beak, and, true to Spearow nature, was looking extraordinarily annoyed, presumably because nobody was letting him deliver his letter and get it over with. 

"This place is startin' to look like a post office," Laine commented. 

Aurora evaluated the look on the Spearow's face and went to relieve him of his burden, light though it was. She knew better than anyone that it wasn't wise to let an unfamiliar Spearow get too impatient. She was itching to get a look at whatever Falkner had sent her, but she could see that his letter was much thicker than the last missive had been, and was written on his second- best stationary instead of plain lined paper, and that seemed a positive sign. She read the Spearow's letter first. 

"It's from Lapis," she announced. "Why is she sending letters? She has a phone!" 

She read the note. It said, _Dear Aurora and Laine - I've arrived safely in Vermillion City. I tried to phone, but all the Electric Pokemon around here are in a tizzy, and it's ruining my reception, so I had to make do with what I could get. Surge is being less than hospitable, but I've found a useful contact with some inside information, and he's keeping me posted. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything interesting. Good luck to you - Lapis Lazuli._

"That's interesting," Aurora mused. 

"What is?" asked Laine. 

"That the Pokemon down there are upset," she explained. "Didn't Nick say the same thing about the Ghosts?" 

-_I told you it was happening._- 

Everyone jumped; they had forgotten Mew was still there. 

-_The Psychics felt it first,_- Mew continued. -_Then the Ghosts. Soon, all the Pokemon in Kanto will feel it. That will be dangerous._- 

Aurora imagined what it would be like if suddenly every wild Pokemon in Kanto got very, very frightened, and decided Mew was right. 

"Maybe Falkner will have something cheerful to say," she said hopefully. She gave the Spearow a pat on the beak and sent him flapping off, then turned her attention to Falkner's Pidgeotto. As she had hoped, the tone of his letter was a great deal more encouraging than his last one. 

_Thank you, Aurora!_ he wrote. _You've given us our first big clue! I only wish I'd listened to you earlier. Do you remember that Badge you found? I finally got around to researching it last night, and I've found out something very interesting. It seems that it is, as we thought, a genuine Badge. It's called the Vision Badge, one that used to be given out here in Johto. It seems that some years ago, there used to be a Gym in Cherry Blossom Town where Psychic Pokemon were trained. The Gym's Leader was a fellow by the name of Alistair. He ran the Gym for years, but then one day, for some strange reason, he suddenly closed up his Gym, dismissed his students, released all his Pokemon into the wild, and disappeared. No one has ever heard from him since. Badges like the one you found haven't been issued in twenty years or so, and yet this one is brand new. I think - and Morty agrees - that this is entirely too strange to be a coincidence. Right now, we're looking up everything we can find on Leader Alistair and the events leading up to his disappearance. I've sent you a copy of what I've found so far. Check it over and see if anything clicks, and keep your ears open for any new information. Stay in touch! I'll let you know if we find out anything else. In the meantime, take care of yourself._ The note was signed with Falkner's signature flourish. 

"What do you know?" she murmured. "We found out more than we thought we did. I'll have to give Blabberbeak a treat." 

"What's that?" asked Laine. She tried to grab the sheaf of papers out of Aurora's hands. 

"It's information on an old Gym Leader," said Aurora. "Falkner thinks he might have something to do with the trouble that's going on." 

"I heard somethin' about that, come to think of it," Laine said. "'Course, that was a long time ago..." 

"It was before we were born," Aurora pointed out, a bit tartly. 

Laine fixed her with a glare. "I heard about it from Brucie's dad, okay? The Cianwood Gym got started after the one in Cherry Blossom Town closed. He was lecturin' Brucie on his proud heritage and the honor of the folks who founded the Gym, blah blah blah. Said the speech so many times, I know it all by heart." 

"Did he say anything interesting?" Aurora asked. 

Laine shrugged. "Not much. Seemed to think the old Cherry Blossom Leader was kind of a wimp, actually. Real hung up on not hurtin' Pokemon." 

"Hm. Doesn't sound much like a potential murderer, does it?" Aurora mused. "Well, I'll read over the papers and see if anything clicks." 

"Read 'em after breakfast," Laine suggested. "Your turn to cook." 

"This is more important than food!" 

"That's what you think. I'm starved." 

Scar crowed his agreement. The Pidgeotto looked at her hopefully. He knew who took care of the birds in the aviary, and who was most likely to feed him. 

Aurora sighed. "All right, all right. I guess I'll think more clearly after I've eaten, anyway." 

She tucked the papers safely away and went to see what they had left in their supplies to eat. They hadn't originally been anticipating a long journey when they'd first come to Kanto, and their supplies were limited to what they'd picked up along the way, and that wasn't very much at all. It appeared their morning meal was going to be limited to leftover bread. She sighed. 

"We've really got to get to the next town," she said. "How far are we from Cerulean?" 

"Not far as the Pidgey flies," Laine replied, "but we've gotta go through the Mount Moon caves first. Think we'll see any Clefairy?" 

"I don't know. Do they come out this time of day?" 

Laine grinned. "That's what I plan to find out." 

"What kind of Pokemon are in there, anyway?" asked Aurora, as an idea occurred to her. "Have you ever been there before?" 

"Only been there once," said Laine. "Remember it well enough, though. You don' hafta worry. There's nothin' in there but a few Geodudes an' things - an' maybe a couple Zubats," she added teasingly. 

"I wasn't asking because I'm _scared_," said Aurora. "I was asking so I'd know if it was okay to let Rusty out while we walk. I want to talk to him." 

Laine looked curious. "How come?" 

"That's between me and him," said Aurora, partly as payback for the remark about Zubats. She knew Laine's curiosity would drive her crazy. 

"Oh," said Laine. "Well... most of the Pokemon in Mount Moon are pretty low level. Rusty oughta be able to handle 'em. He's a mountain Pokemon, anyway, right? He grew up with all them Gravelers an' stuff anyway." 

"Good," said Aurora. 

They finished their meager breakfast (the Pidgeotto got some toast before he was sent flying off again) and set off up the trail to Mount Moon. Luckily, Laine had a map with her, and was able to illustrate that the path they'd be taking was comparatively easy, compared to what they might have found in say, the Mount Mortar of Johto. Aurora felt confident in letting her friend take the lead while she had a chat with her Pokemon. Once they came to a section of the caves that would be large enough to hold a Skarmory comfortably, she opened his Pokeball. 

_What are we doing here?_ Rusty asked, as he took in his new surroundings. 

"Just traveling," Aurora told him. 

_I don't see any battles to fight,_ the steel bird commented. _I suppose you were just feeling sociable? Or have you decided your beloved feather duster isn't enough protection here?_

Scar squawked, but without much conviction. Aurora got the feeling he was used to being teased because he had only feathers and not steel plates like the Skarmory had. She sighed a little; Rusty had always had an underhanded sense of humor. 

"I just wanted to talk," she said. "Provided you behave yourself." 

_I see._ He walked alongside her in silence for a while. His claws chimed softly when they struck the stone floor. Seeing that she wasn't in any hurry to say whatever she'd wanted to say, he said, _How did the battle with Leader Brock end? I was out at the time, you know._

"It was a draw," said Aurora. "We came very close, though." 

_Ah. I suppose it was about time we lost a match._

"You could be right. You all put up a great fight, though... especially Berry. He did a lot better than I would have expected for such a young Pokemon." 

There was a pause. Aurora sneaked a glance at Rusty, but it was hard to read the emotions on his metal face. 

_Did he really?_ he asked at last. 

"Yes," she said. 

_Good. I'm happy for him._

"As a matter of fact," she continued, "he did something very interesting. He was using a move that I never taught him. That's kind of strange, don't you think? Because I was the one who trained that whole clutch of chicks, and I never taught them any TM's, and it wasn't a move he could come by naturally. Would you like to know which move it was?" 

Rusty regarded her warily. _Which one?_

"Steel Wing," she said. "I think that's interesting, because I talked to Leader Brock after the battle, and he suggested that he probably inherited the move from his father. That's interesting, too, because I only know one Pokemon in the aviary that knows Steel Wing." 

Rusty sighed. _I should have known it wouldn't stay a secret._

"So Berry _is_ your chick?" asked Aurora. "You should have said something, Rusty. We've all been wondering." 

_Don't I have any privacy?_ he asked. _I would think it is my business who I choose as my mate. Or who chooses me, for that matter. For your information, she was the one who came to me with the idea._ He ruffled his feathers and looked smug. 

"And you just went along with the idea out of the generosity of your heart," said Aurora, trying to keep a straight face. 

_Don't laugh at me. Sightwind is a Xatu, after all - a powerful Psychic. She knows when things are going to happen, and she foresaw that it would be important that one of her chicks accompany you on your journey here. That necessitated her having chicks, and for that..._

"I see," said Aurora slowly. She was pondering the implications of that. So a Psychic bird had foreseen, months in advance, that Aurora would be taking this journey now? And she said it was important that one of her chicks come with her... why was that? Aurora couldn't think of much Berry had done so far on this trip, other than lose a couple of battles. What was he capable of doing that her older, stronger Pokemon couldn't? 

"I still say you probably had a personal motivation of your own," she said. 

_Perhaps,_ he said. _Just don't think this was undertaken lightly. We Skarmories mate for life, you know. Not that I really mind. She has such pretty soft feathers..._ He trailed off, and his face took on a misty expression. It was an odd look for something whose face most closely resembled a can opener. Aurora giggled, and Laine gave them both a look of consternation. 

"Sometimes," she said, "I'd give all the money in the world just to know what you and your birds are talking about." 

"You're not supposed to know," answered Aurora. "This is Rusty's private matter." 

_Then why are you asking about it?_ he asked. 

"Trainer's privilege," she said. "Anyway, you can go back in your Ball now... unless you'd rather stay outside, of course. We don't mind your company." 

Scar made a contradictory comment. He liked being out when everyone else was in. 

_And be subjected to more prying questions? No, thank you. I'd just as soon return to my privacy, thank you very much._

"If that's the way you want it," said Aurora. "Bye, Rusty. See you later." 

She opened his PokeBall and let him disappear inside. She clipped it to her belt, thinking that it was just as well that he wanted his privacy, because she had some things to think about, too. As she mulled over this interesting new information she'd received, she watched as Scar hopped and fluttered through the caverns, occasionally stopping to harry a Zubat if it came too close. It occurred to her to wonder if Scar would ever take a mate. Why not? He was a strong, healthy Fearow in the prime of his life. He could probably father some admirable chicks. She amused herself for a while, trying to imagine what sort of bird he would want as a partner, or what sort would want him. It was only idle speculation, though. As with all other things, Scar would decide to do what he wanted to do, and she probably wouldn't get much say in the matter. 

It was only an hour's walk later that they returned to the sunlit outside world, and saw the trail rolling gently downhill to Cerulean City. It was a pleasant sight, seeing all the brightly colored buildings gleaming in the sun. Even from this distance, they could tell that there were many people in the streets, roaming around and evidently having a good time. 

"It looks like a big theme park from here," said Aurora. 

"Why not?" said Laine. "From what I hear, in summertime, you get folks from as far away as Rustboro in Hoenn comin' out here to hang out on the beach. There'd be more now if things weren't so messed up. Those are probably the ones who got here before all the trouble started." 

"Let's go join them," said Aurora, starting forward. 

"Not so fast," said a voice. 

Everyone jumped. Standing in the shade of a large mountain stone was... Ember, of course. He was looking somewhat disgruntled, but after a close examination, Aurora decided he was probably disgruntled with something or someone besides her, which she counted as a good thing. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you were going to go to Saffron City." 

"I was," he said. "Unfortunately, I've run into a bit of a snag, so I have been standing here for the last two hours waiting for you two to show up." 

"Why?" Laine asked. "What kinda snag is there that your high-and-mightiness can't get around without our help?" 

Ember glared at her. 

"I don't feel like having an argument with you today," he said. "If you need an explanation... How do I put it? I need some help getting through town unnoticed." 

"Since when do you need help not being noticed?" asked Aurora. "I mean, I'd think that was your specialty. You never had any trouble with it before." 

"This is a different circumstance," he said. "I need to get to a fountain in the heart of the town. The town is full of people. My problem is with the inordinate number of hormonally charged young females who are going to take notice of a young man walking alone." He was blushing furiously as he said this. Laine laughed. 

"I coulda told ya you'd turn out to be a babe magnet," she said. 

"So... how do we help?" asked Aurora, deciding the best way to deal with Laine right now would be to ignore her. 

"I would appreciate it greatly if you'd provide me with an escort," he said, still looking profoundly uncomfortable. 

"You mean, you want us to pretend we're with you so everyone else will think you're already claimed, and leave you alone?" asked Aurora. 

"That's it." 

"Oh," she said. "It's too bad you didn't know Miyuki was here. You could have called her and asked her to meet you at the gate. Then you wouldn't have had to wait for us." 

"It's just as well. On the whole, I'd prefer to travel with you," he said. 

Aurora was stunned. "What?" 

"I mean... at least I know you two. This is embarrassing enough without bringing an almost total stranger into it," he explained. 

"Oh," she said. 

"Anyway, what's your answer? Yes or no? I don't intend to stand around all day waiting for you to make up your minds." 

"Of course we'll help," said Aurora. She shot Laine a look to make sure she wouldn't argue; Laine just shrugged and rolled her eyes. 

"It's not like we don't hafta go into town anyway," she said. "We'll protect ya from the big bad girls." 

"Maybe I should have just asked to borrow Scar," said Ember. "He'd probably be just as good a deterrent, and he talks less." 

"Fear fear fearow!" 

"That's what you think," said Aurora. 

Ember sighed. "Shall we get this over with?" 

"Sure," said Laine. 

"Might as well," Aurora agreed. 

They began their trek down the hill to the city. It was a rather awkward journey, and to Aurora, it seemed very strange to be traveling that way. She had done quite a bit of traveling since she took up Pokemon training - after all, wandering around the countryside looking for battles was just what trainers did. She had also spent her share of time with Ember and thought she knew him about as well as anyone did. She just wasn't used to traveling with him. He'd said once that rivals didn't travel together, but only met once in a while for dramatic battles... but they weren't rivals anymore, were they? Most of the time, she thought they were friends, but things had been so strained between them, lately, she still wasn't really sure how he felt about her. He obviously cared about her, or he wouldn't have been so upset when he thought something had happened to her. On the other hand, he didn't look all that thrilled to see her now; by his attitude, it was easy to think he wanted her to go away as soon as possible. He was looking everywhere but at her as he walked, and made no attempt at conversation. 

"You know," she said, "there are times when I wish you were more like Scar." 

He looked at her in surprise. "Why on earth would you want that?" 

"Because he always tells me what's on his mind," she said. "You always make me figure it out. I'm not very good at figuring things out." 

Ember took so long in answering that she wondered if she had offended him, but when she looked at him, his expression was only thoughtful. 

"If there is something to be said for Scar, it would be that he has more than his share of courage," he said at last. 

Aurora shook her head. "See what I mean?" she asked the world in general. "Even when he talks, he won't tell me anything!" 

"Of course," he said lightly. "It's not my job to tell people things." 

The girls looked at each other and shrugged. The rest of the trip was made in silence. 

As they reached the gate to the city, such as it was, the two trainer-girls looked up to investigate the newcomers. Their faces lit up as they recognized Ember, then immediately fell again as they saw the two pretty young women he had with him. 

"Who are they?" asked Shelley warily. 

Aurora, figuring she might as well do the thing properly, gave the girl a dazzling smile. 

"We're his special friends," she said. 

"Yeah, you know," added Laine. "Traveling companions." 

"Oh, really?" said Lynn, looking disappointed. 

"Sure," said Aurora, sidling closer to Ember to cling to his arm. "We've been _everywhere_ together." 

"Oh," said the girls. 

"Have a nice day," said Laine wickedly as the group passed by the gate. 

As soon as they were out of earshot, Ember said to the girls, "Do me a favor and never act like that in public again - with me or anyone else!" 

Laine laughed. "Aw, come off it. What else were we s'posed to do?" 

"It's not like we said anything that wasn't true," said Aurora. "We _are_ your friends, and we _have_ traveled all over Johto and a fair part of Kanto. That's close enough to everywhere. It's their problem if they take it wrong." 

"I suppose," said Ember doubtfully. "Just... one thing?" 

"What?" asked Aurora. 

"Kindly release my arm." 

"Oh!" She jumped backwards as if she'd been burned. Laine hooted with delight, until Aurora and Ember fixed her with identical looks of doom, at which point she became decorously silent once more. 

"Well," said Ember briskly, as if he had not been at all embarrassed, and, owing to long years of practice, succeeding, "I suppose now you'll want to look up your friend Miyuki and hear what she has to say?" 

"Right," Aurora agreed. "But don't you want us to get you to your fountain first?" 

"I don't know. I thought I might come along. It occurs to me that it might be interesting to hear what people are saying about me. It might help me make sure I'm not where they think I am." 

"Oh," said Aurora. "I guess that makes sense. Hang on, I'll call her and tell her to come meet us." 

"Ya shoulda done that a long time ago," said Laine. 

"I had other things on my mind, okay?" 

"Whatever!" 

Aurora dialed the number Miyuki had given her. While it rang, it suddenly occurred to her to look around for Mew. He was absent, or at least, invisible. She wondered where he had gone - and when he had gone. She was sure he'd been with them when they'd entered Mt. Moon, but she'd gotten so distracted by her talk with Rusty and the sudden appearance of Ember that she hadn't noticed him leave. She decided she probably wasn't supposed to. 

"_Moshi moshi!_" 

"Miyuki? Is that you?" asked Aurora. 

"Yes. I assume I am speaking to Miss Aurora?" 

"Um, yes. I was just calling to let you know we're in town, and I wanted to know if you'd learned anything." 

"Very little, unfortunately, but if you wish to question me, I can meet you at some convenient location. Would it be very difficult for you to find the Pleasant Valley Sundae Shop?" 

"I think we can find it," said Aurora. "I'll see you there." 

"Very good. _Ja ne!_" 

There was a click. Aurora closed her cell phone and put it away. 

"We're going for ice cream," she announced. 

"Wonderful," said Ember. "Exactly what I needed. I'm parched." 

"It'll be better than what we had for breakfast," said Laine, and Scar crowed wholehearted agreement. 

-_I want ice cream, too,_- pouted a voice in Aurora's mind. -_Nobody ever buys me ice cream._- 

Aurora giggled. The others looked at her in confusion. 

"What's so funny?" Ember demanded. 

"Nothing," she answered. "Nothing at all!" 

~*~

Miyuki was standing outside a small shop that sported a disproportionately large model of an ice cream cone mounted on its front. For a moment, Aurora almost didn't recognize her. She had only ever seen the twins in their ice-white Gym uniforms, and she wasn't used to seeing Miyuki in a red tank top and sandals. In her summery garb, she blended nicely with the tourists, and even attracted a few stares from the young men. With her golden skin an jet-black braid, she had a certain air of the exotic that drew attention. Her normal bland smile turned into a genuine grin when she caught sight of who was traveling with the girls. 

"Master Ember!" she greeted. "How unexpected." 

"Don't use my name in public," he said. "People will recognize me." 

"Apologies," she said, bowing her head. Aurora thought she saw a twinkle in the girl's eye and wondered exactly how serious she was being. With the twins, it was always hard to tell. 

"Let's go inside," said Laine, brushing a sweaty straggle of hair from her face. "It's too hot out here." 

"Agreed," said Miyuki. 

They stepped into the ice cream parlor, and were instantly met by a blast of cool air. The air conditioner was working overtime, and Aurora suppressed a shiver at the sudden switch of temperatures. Miyuki took a relieved breath. She had, after all, lived in the mountains all her life, and the warm, humid seaside air was probably like trying to breathe underwater to her. The booths were all filled with people and Pokemon, so the humans all found seats at the bar while their Pokemon curled up on the floor and waited hopefully for treats. 

"Good morning, everyone!" said a breezy waitress. "What can I get for you all today?" 

"Chocolate sundae with nuts!" said Laine. 

"Vanilla with caramel sauce," said Miyuki. 

"Mint chip for me, and butter pecan for my Fearow," said Aurora. 

"Two strawberry sundaes," said Ember, "and give me the bill for these ladies' orders." 

"Yes sir! Right away," said the waitress, and breezed off again. 

"You don't have to do that," Aurora said to Ember. 

"Consider it my payment for a favor," he replied. "Besides, I can afford it." 

"Hey, if he wants to spend money on us, why fight it?" asked Laine practically. 

"I guess you're right," said Aurora. "Thanks, Ember! You're still a good guy at heart, aren't you?" 

"I told you not to use my real name," was all he said. 

"You are being unusually generous," Miyuki commented. "One would almost think you had an ulterior motive. However, it is not my place to ask, don't you agree?" 

He glared at her, but if she noticed, she didn't seem to care. 

"So, you been gettin' anything done out here?" asked Laine. "Or have you just been soakin' up the sunshine with the rest of this crowd?" 

"I paid a visit to the local leader," said Miyuki. "I am pleased to see she's doing a better job than I expected. She has, at least, made it clear that her people are to search for _any_ signs of suspicious activity, not just for our friend here. She is a good Leader, and wants this city to be safe." 

"So why was she so outspoken against Ember at the meeting?" Aurora asked. 

"I asked her about that," said Miyuki. "We had a discussion on it." Her wry smile indicated that the "discussion" was probably a bit less polite than she made it sound. 

"I'm afraid to ask what came of it," said Ember. 

"It was no worse than listening to Leader Pryce when he is in a temper," said Miyuki, "and since that is his normal emotional state, I'm very used to it. I would not, however, recommend trying to have the discussion with her again. I think I have gathered all we will from her. Of course, now that we've had our little talk, the problem has begun to seem rather obvious..." 

"Well, don't keep us in the dark!" said Laine. "Spill already." 

"Very well," said Miyuki. "First and foremost, I believe we can safely chalk much of this trouble up to basic jealousy." 

"Jealousy?" Ember repeated. "What have they got to be jealous of? This job has been nothing but trouble since I got it." 

"Reality rarely has any bearing on situations like this," said Miyuki. "Keep in mind that in many ways, the League is a political entity. There are members who are concerned about their power and rank - those whose greatest desire is to join the Elite Four or even become the Reigning Champion. Some became Gym Leaders for that reason. People like Lt. Surge and Koga have been Leaders for years with that goal in mind. You are rather a threat to their plans." 

"But there's no guarantee that Ember will become the next Reigning Champion," Aurora pointed out. "Even Lance can't ensure that. He can recommend him, but the other Leaders can vote him down..." 

"I know that," said Miyuki. "You know that. Everyone knows that. But look here: we are in a period of time when many of the current Leaders are reaching a stage in their life when they are ready to move on to other things. Bruce has recently become Leader in Cinnabar. It won't be very long before Pryce retires and leaves the Gym to my brother and me. I understand that Morty and Jasmine have goals they wish to pursue - I doubt it will be many years before Nicholas and Lapis are made Leaders..." 

"And Blaine's already turned his Gym over to Brand," Laine filled in. 

Miyuki's eternally vague expression turned a few degrees more blank. "When did this happen?" 

"About the same time Blaine vanished," said Aurora. "We talked to Brand the other day, and either he really _is_ the new Leader, or he's not afraid of being hauled before a court for handing out unauthorized Badges." 

"Interesting," said Miyuki. 

"So what's the point of all this?" asked Laine. "I mean, so what if some of the Leaders are retiring? That's been going on for centuries." 

"Yes," said Miyuki. "Right now, we are apprentices, and we have small voice in the great proceedings of the League. We cannot, for example, elect a new Reigning Champion. However, if we were Gym Leaders, it would be a different matter. As a matter of fact, some of us probably _will_ be Leaders by the time Lance is ready to retire and a new Champion has to be chosen. Now, who do you think we would be more likely to choose as our new leader? Someone like, say, Koga? Or would we choose a young person like ourselves, who is already famous as a great trainer, who is mysterious and even attractive, someone we have already asserted is our friend, someone we are willing to go to great lengths to help?" 

"Well, when you put it like that..." said Aurora. "But I wouldn't support Ember just because he's my friend! I mean, Laine's my friend, and I wouldn't elect _her_ Champion in a million years. No offense, Laine." 

"None taken, I'm sure," said Laine dryly. 

Miyuki shrugged. "What does it matter why you'd elect him? The point is, you would choose him over another, wouldn't you?" 

"Well, yes, but-" 

"But Ember has barely been a Leader for three years. He'd only been a trainer for a few _weeks_ before he was given authority over the highest Gym in Johto - and I hardly need mention his checkered past," Miyuki continued. "He is very young to have risen so far, so fast, and all indications are that he is going to rise even higher before his career is over... unless something changes radically." 

"Like, for example, allegations that I happen to behind a string of killings?" Ember suggested. "I see. Even if nothing ever came of it, the very fact that I was implicated, and that Lance got pressured into saying I _just might_ be involved, might be enough to halt me in my tracks. The people would never have even a suspected murderer for a Champion." 

"Correct," said Lapis. "I suspect that while there may be one or two who actually believe you have something to do with all this, there are more who are willing to simply use this as an opportunity to slow you down a bit." 

"Humph," said Ember. "If that's what I'm getting into, maybe I don't _want_ to run the League." 

"Don't talk like that," said Aurora. "Miyuki is right. By the time you're ready to try for Championship, the troublemakers will be long gone, and _we'll_ be the Gym Leaders." 

"Some of you will," Ember replied, but he looked less annoyed anyway. 

"Okay, so some of the Leaders are hacked off because Ember's Lance's favorite boy," said Laine. "You ain't tryin' to tell me they're so stupid that they'd ignore a genuine crazed killer just to get Ember in trouble." 

"Of course not," said Miyuki, unflappable as always. "As I said, Leader Misty has already mobilized several of her best trainers and put them to work looking for signs of trouble. I would not be surprised if others are doing the same. What does it matter now, if the killer turns out to be someone else? Even if someone manages to prove that Ember has nothing to do with this problem, the damage to his reputation will have been done." 

"Wonderful," said Ember. "Just what I needed. Another way to make my life more difficult. I might as well slink back to my dark hole in the wall and not come out." 

"Don't talk like that," said Aurora. "You can still find a way through this. I know you can. I mean, remember when they threw you out of the Rockets? Look where you are now - the leader of the gang. You ought to be able to stand a little mudslinging." 

"All right," he said. "Suppose I can. How?" 

There was a moment of silence. Ember nodded. 

"I thought so. That's the way it is with you - you always think everything is possible, but you never stop to plan how you're going to do it." 

"Wait," she said. "Supposing _you_ were the one who caught the villain? Then what?" 

"They'd prob'ly just say the two of them were in cahoots to begin with," said Laine. 

"They wouldn't be able to prove it, though," said Miyuki thoughtfully. "And if there was a way to make sure everyone _heard_ that Ember was the hero before anyone else had a chance to start casting allegations..." 

"You mean, make sure I'm suddenly very popular with the world in general?" said Ember thoughtfully. "Yes, that might make a few people stop and think, if they thought the better part of Kanto might rise up in protest if they said anything against me... but how would we make that happen?" 

"I'll bet Falkner and I could do it!" said Aurora. "I'll bet between the two of us, we could get all the birds from here to Hoenn talking. Birds love to gossip; they'll spread the word to every Pokemon they meet, and the Pokemon will tell their trainers..." 

"While you are at it, try sending a few letters to, say, other people in authority," said Miyuki. "If my understanding is correct, the League is only authorized to deal with matters pertaining to Pokemon. The only reason they are involved in this case is because the killer seems to be specifically targeting trainers. Why not send messages to mayors, police chiefs, council leaders, and so forth?" 

"That too," said Aurora. 

"I could help with that," Laine piped up. "My dad knew everybody who was anybody, back in his day. Bet I could put you in touch with some good people. You know, folks who owed him favors and stuff." 

Ember was listening to these grandiose plans with a faintly stunned expression. Aurora gave him a dazzling smile. 

"See?" she said. "We can plan just fine when we want to." 

"And you would do that for me?" 

The girls nodded. Scar crowed his agreement. 

Ember gave them a narrow look. "Why?" 

"As for me," said Miyuki, "I was brought up to value honor and justice. I would like to see justice done in your case." 

"We believe in you," said Aurora. 

Ember looked at her a long moment, as if trying to decide something. Then he looked away. 

"I see," he said. "I suppose that's encouraging." 

The waitress reappeared and started plunking down bowls of ice cream. 

"Here you go!" she said brightly. "Sorry that took so long." 

"Not a problem," said Ember. "We've been having a very interesting discussion." 

"Good," said the waitress, and scooted off again. 

It appeared that as far as Ember was concerned, the conversation was now over, as he applied himself to his food and ignored everyone else around him, with the sole exception of Skystar. Aurora got the impression that the two of them were talking about something, but he kept his voice low enough that only the little dragon could understand him, and she could understand nothing of the Pokemon's squeaks and whistles. On her left, Miyuki seemed to have forgotten that they had been discussing anything of importance, and was busy telling Laine about a demonstration of formation swimming some of the local Water Pokemon and their trainers had put on. Aurora felt a bit shut out, and turned to her partner for comfort. 

"What do you think of it all, Scar?" she asked. 

"Fear, fear, fear," he said encouragingly. 

"I suppose you're right," she said. "Things will be a lot better when all this is over, won't they? I hope they're over with soon." 

"Fear," said Scar firmly. There seemed to be no doubt in his mind that they would deal with the situation one way or another. 

Aurora ate her ice cream mechanically, without really tasting it, but Ember still finished his first. He flagged down the waitress and paid the tab. 

"It's very generous of you to treat these ladies," she teased as she collected the money. "Trying to impress someone?" 

"That," he answered, "is entirely none of your business." 

"Well, excuse me!" she said. "Forget I asked! ... You know, your face looks familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?" 

"No, and if I'm lucky, you won't see me again." 

"Humph!" said the waitress, and she stalked off with her nose in the air. 

"You didn't have to do that," said Aurora. 

"She should have been minding her own business," Ember replied. "It's no business of hers what I do." 

"She didn't mean any harm, Ember," Aurora soothed. "Actually, it kind of looked to me like she was flirting a little." 

"Well, I didn't want her to be flirting with me," he said. "The whole point of this operation was for people like that to leave me alone. Anyway, I'm ready to get out of here." 

"What?" Laine cried. "But I'm not done yet!" 

"Stay here, then," Ember replied. "I don't need a whole harem following me around. One escort will be quite sufficient, and I'd dispense with that if I could." 

"I'll go," said Aurora, getting to her feet. "Are you coming, Scar?" 

Scar, who was busy pecking pecans out of his butter pecan ice cream, made a gurgling comment and kept his eyes on his food. 

"I guess that means no," Aurora interpreted. "Okay, then. Laine, keep an eye on him. Don't let him attack anything while I'm gone." 

"Heck, if that thing decides he's gettin' in a fight, I'm not crazy enough to get in his way!" 

"Well, then, just _try_ to keep him out of trouble," said Aurora. "Scar, _be good._ I'll be back in a few minutes." 

She and Ember stepped back into the hot sunshine. The bright white painted buildings and the sparkling sand caught the light and threw it in all directions, making the sun seem even more brilliant than normal; Aurora imagined it must stay summer here a month longer than anywhere else. She stood a moment, blinking at the dazzling light. Ember pulled his brimmed cap lower on his head to blot out some of the light. 

"Which way is the fountain?" Aurora asked. 

"A few blocks this way. Don't worry; you won't have to put up with me for long." 

"Oh, don't be like that. You know I don't mind spending time with you. You're the one who's always disappearing." 

"There's more than one way to run away from something," he answered cryptically. He began to walk, and Aurora trotted to catch up. 

For a short while, they walked in silence. They passed by a small sweet shop, where rows of candies were set out to tempt passers-by, and then a souvenir store and a clothing boutique. A few girls loitering outside the stores watched Ember go by and giggled to each other. Ember stared pointedly at the ground and walked faster. 

Aurora watched the scene with a sense of puzzlement. Ember had never been a people person, but somehow, this didn't seem quite right. It occurred to her consciously for the first time that Ember had to be close to eighteen, though he'd never told her his exact age. Surely he ought to have had some experience with girls by now, and yet here he was, acting as if he expected them all to have venomous fangs and claws. 

"You know," said Aurora, "I wouldn't have thought you'd be this shy around girls." 

"I'm not _shy_," he answered irritably. "I just... don't like people staring and giggling and carrying on like a bunch of idiots over me. It's disgusting." 

"If that was all it is, you wouldn't have asked me to do this," Aurora replied. "I'm amazed it bothers you so much, I really am. Haven't you ever had a girlfriend before?" 

"No." 

"Well, why not? I mean, you're a prime candidate for it. You're intelligent, you're a great trainer, you're attractive..." 

She trailed off. Ember was giving her a very odd look, surprised and puzzled. Since his normal expression was one of cool assurance, the new expression did not suit him well. 

"You think I'm attractive?" he asked. 

"Well, of course! I mean... well, I didn't mean that..." she stammered, blushing furiously. "Anyway, what I'm saying is that I think you could probably have any girl you wanted." 

"No," he said, with a bitterness that surprised her. "No, I can't." 

Sensing she'd hit a sore spot, she asked gently, "Why not?" 

"Because..." He paused a moment, giving his answer some serious consideration. "Because of my position in the scheme of things." 

"I'd like a better answer than that, please." 

"Well, look. Look where I am. I'm the Boss of the Rockets, and I'm also a Gym Leader. I've got one foot in both worlds. Which one do I choose from? There are ladies my age among the Rockets... but how could I trust that whoever I chose didn't just want me for my power, or because they hope for a larger share of the loot or a higher station in the gang? There is no one else of my station in the gang; how could I choose one without causing others to be jealous, or making her feel she doesn't measure up to me? 

"For the same reason, I can't choose an ordinary trainer, not so long as I'm a Gym Leader. Someday, I may even be the Reigning Champion. There won't be anyone of my level to choose from. You've seen what some of these Leaders can be like. I couldn't drag someone I cared about through that kind of jealousy and plotting. Even supposing I could avoid all that trouble - supposing against all rules of human nature that nobody got jealous or thought I was playing favorites - then what? Could a trainer or a Leader live with the fact that I'm a Rocket as well as part of the League? It's enough of a strain on me. I can't expect anyone else to deal with it." 

There was a moment of silence. Then Aurora said, "I think you've got to be the noblest person I've ever met." 

He laughed bitterly. "That's not a compliment. Nobility is obviously overrated. Just look how much good it's doing me." 

"I don't think you have to be alone, though," she said. "I mean... I've known all along that you're a Rocket, and I still like you a lot." 

"Yes, I suppose you do," he said. "But that doesn't do me any good either, does it? Because after all... you say I'm a noble person, and one thing a noble person wouldn't do... is force himself on someone he knows cares for someone else." 

With that, he turned and dashed around a corner, out of Aurora's sight. She tried to follow him, but when she turned the corner, all she could see was a splashing fountain in a small courtyard, and she could see no sign of how anyone could enter it. She searched it a while anyway, then gave up. She walked slowly back to the ice cream parlor, where she found Laine and Scar waiting for her. 

"Hey, where ya been?" Laine called. Then she caught sight of her friend's face and added, "Hey, did something go wrong? You two didn't have a fight or something, did you?" 

"No, not exactly," Aurora replied. "Say, Laine... can I ask you a personal question?" 

"Uh... sure, I guess so," answered Laine, puzzled. 

"Okay. What is it... how do you know that Bruce was the one for you?" 

"Hm. Good question," said Laine. "I guess it's... well, you know how I am. I can't stay in one place for very long. I'm not happy if I can't move around a bit. Brucie, he knows that, and he's willin' to let me get on with it, 'cause he knows sooner or later, I'm gonna come back again. It's like you an' Scar - he knows you love him 'cause you don't try to trap him. You were willin' to let him go, an' that's why he stays." 

"Yeah, I guess so," answered Aurora. 

Laine looked thoughtful. "Y'know... my dad married my mom knowin' her health wasn' good, an' she could die anytime. People used to ask him why he did somethin' like that. He always said, really loving somebody, you hafta be willing to let 'em go." 

"I see," said Aurora. "If you really love somebody..." 

And she didn't say anything else for a long time. 

~*~

The man on the mountain was meditating. His helper had been able to report to him the results of their latest endeavors, far better than the man's own psychic powers could. They were good enough for getting the rough idea of what was going on, but for details, there was nothing better than a report from a real human being. The word was exactly what he'd been expecting, what he'd been waiting for. The Gym Leaders were mobilizing, beginning to search for him. They were trying to make the roads and back ways safe for traveling trainers and hauling off any suspicious characters for questioning. That was good. It would make what he would do next all the more frightening. Even better, he knew that the Leaders were bickering among themselves. He had done what he could to encourage that. He could not touch the minds of, say, the Psychic Sabrina, but for those whose thoughts were more prosaic, those who could not ward themselves against his touch... well, it was impossible for even the best Psychic to fully control someone else's mind, but he could plant suggestions, subtle things that would seem like their own ideas. If he could keep even a few of them from succumbing to logic and cool reason, it would be only a matter of time before sheer panic caused others to follow them. 

"It will work," he said. "I can make it work. Just give me enough time, give me the strength of will, and I can break the League." 

He did not say these words to himself. Rather, he addressed them to a large stone. It was polished granite, carved into the shape of an obelisk taller than the man himself. Three of its four sides were polished mirror smooth, but the face the man addressed was not. There were letters carved deeply into it, so deeply that they appeared black. The letters spelled a single word - a name, in fact: MORPHEUS. The man ran his fingers over the carved letters, tracing each line. 

"I wish someone had done this years ago," he said softly. "Then you might still be here with me now, wouldn't you, Morpheus? You never would have left me on purpose, I know..." 

He broke off. Even after all these years, the pain still hadn't vanished entirely. Faded, yes, but only to a dull, constant ache that was like carrying a heavy stone wherever he went. 

"I will pay them back for this," he said. "I'll send them to their deaths... just like they sent you." 


	7. Stage Seven Spirit Station

**Spirit Signals**

**By: SilvorMoon**

The Man on the Mountain had been having dreams. This was nothing unusual; he was a Psychic, after all. He'd been having dreams ever since he was a child, dreams that told him things, showed him things before anyone had a right to know them. They had been telling him things for the last few nights, but he was having trouble making sense of them. He sat in his chair, stared vaguely out the window, and tried once again to sift the truth out of their seemingly random images. 

His guest cleared his throat, and the Psychic turned his head ever so slightly to rest his gaze on the Man in Red. The two of them didn't like each other; both thought the other had his priorities wrong. They persisted in their alliance only because there was no one else they could rely on. 

"Are you having a vision, sir?" asked the Man in Red, with the faintest trace of a sneer. 

"I was considering one," the Psychic replied. "My dreams have been confused, as of late. I believe that is a good sign, but it makes life difficult for us." 

"How can confusion be a good sign?" his guest asked. "You're supposed to be a Psychic. You're supposed to be able to see the future. What good are you if you can't see the future? I don't see why not being able to see the future can be counted as a good sign." 

"You don't understand how it works. The future is not carved in stone, my friend. It is only a kind of echo, a wave of energy put out by the happenings of the world. The quieter the world is, the smaller and less distorted the waves are. When great things are happening, with great potential to bring about changes, the waves are larger and more diverse, and thus more difficult to interpret. And if the greatest Psychic alive in the world is unable to read what is going on..." 

"Then great things must be afoot," said the Man in Red. "I see. And you think we're the cause of it, yes?" 

"Who else is there? Everything of any importance that has been happening as of late has centered around our work... unless, of course, there is something you haven't told me." 

"No, sir." 

"Good." The Psychic turned back to gazing out his window. The muddled visions of his dream were still demanding his attention; he wouldn't feel right unless he had decided on a reading for them. On an impulse, he turned and waved a hand at a crystal resting on his desk - not the special crystal, the one he used for important readings, but adequate for his purposes. "Tell me, have you seen this face before?" 

The Man in Red peered at the crystal. Within its depths, he could see the vague shape of a girl dressed in white, holding a pair of scales. Though they seemed to be empty, they teetered one way and the other, never still. 

"I have seen her," he said, surprised. "That's the brat who sicced a Fearow on me!" 

Instantly, a menacing-looking Fearow appeared in the crystal, standing next to the girl. The Psychic nodded. 

"It appears so," he said. "Hm. She is the one who found the last body, then. I believe I had you look her up for me." 

His spy nodded. "Apprentice Gym Leader Aurora Cummings. Student of Falkner the Birdkeeper." 

"So you say," said the Psychic, and the crystal ball, in agreement, produced a shadowy figure of a man with a bird on his wrist standing behind the girl. The Psychic waved his hand in irritation, making the picture vanish. "It seems she will have some hand in this... either as an enemy or an ally." He sighed deeply. "I am not fond of variables." 

"Do you want me to deal with her?" asked the Man in Red, without any particular enthusiasm. Dealing with her could mean either trying to win her over, or rubbing her out. Neither one held much appeal to him, one requiring more charm than he normally felt like using, and the other offending his sensibilities. 

"Not yet," said the Psychic. "I'd like to test her first... You say she is an Apprentice?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Interesting." He turned back to musing. The Man in Red shuffled his feet, waiting for some kind of dismissal. 

"Did you have any orders for me?" he asked at last. "Or did you intend to have me stand here and gather dust?" 

"I have nothing specific in mind," answered the Psychic mildly. 

"No more missions to run?" he persisted, half hopefully. Even un-hiding the bodies was more interesting than doing nothing. 

"Not at present. I think I'm ready to move to the next stage of our plan... Just go back to watching things for me. Now that things are happening, I need an agent in the corporeal world more than ever." 

The Man in Red muttered something halfway polite and ambled out the door. Once outside, away from the Psychic's listening ears, he was free to express himself a bit more vocally. He didn't like having to come all the way up here just to be told to go all the way back again. He didn't like being told all he could do was to watch and wait, either. He had expected when he'd signed up for this job that he'd be taking a more active role in things, and he disliked being treated as if he were more-or-less expendable, just a convenience to make the snooty Psychic's life easier. The whole thing gave him indigestion. Lately he seemed to get indigestion whenever he was under stress, and working for the man on the mountain meant he was under stress most of the time. 

"Watch and wait, he says," the man muttered. "Any fool could do that. Does that all he thinks I am, just any old fool?" 

He frowned. He may not have had Psychic powers, but he had been around a while, and he thought himself reasonably intelligent. He hadn't lived as long as he had without a certain amount of cleverness and some gut instinct. Right now his instincts were telling him that the girl with the silver hair, this Aurora Cummings, was someone who needed dealing with. If the Psychic was saying she could affect the balance of their plans one way or the other - if her destiny was not yet set in stone - then perhaps he ought to try to influence it himself. Killing her at this stage was probably a bad idea, not if there was a chance she might wind up helping them later on... but what if he led her onto the wrong path? She was a young thing, probably quite naive - every Birdkeeper he had ever met had been featherbrained to one degree or another. Even Falkner himself, a formidable man in most respects, had trouble keeping his mind on one project for any length of time. This girl was probably so eager for any clue to this mystery that she would gladly chase after any lead he fed her, regardless of how plausible it was. All he would have to was find her... 

~*~

Scar fluffed his feathers and muttered to himself. A cool breeze was blowing in, bringing with it a fleet of pale gray clouds, and Aurora looked at it and shivered. Thus far, her day had not been going well, and she was in a mood to think that these clouds could bring nothing good with them. She had spent most of the day navigating the mazelike underground path that led from Cerulean City to Lavender Town, an experience she had found less than enjoyable. She might have gotten over her fear of bats a long time ago, but she had a love of open spaces and sunlight, and being in the close, dark tunnels made her feel vaguely claustrophobic. She had been more than happy to let Laine and Nova take the lead and deal with any offending cave Pokemon. They were right at home in caves - Laine was happy anywhere, and her Machop was a cave-dwelling Pokemon to begin with. The rest of the group followed them, silent and wary. Even Mew seemed uncomfortable, and even now that they were back in the open air, he seemed pensive and withdrawn, unlike his normal playful self. 

"What's wrong?" Aurora. "Aren't you feeling okay?" 

*_Something bad is going to happen,_* he sent back. *_I don't know what yet, though. I hate it when that happens._* 

"You told us somethin' bad was gonna happen yesterday," said Laine dismissively. "The world is comin' to an end or somethin' like that, right?" 

*_I was thinking of something a little closer to home,_* Mew said. *_Something more like-_* 

Something _whammed_. Aurora's head snapped around in search of the sound, and had just enough time to register a flash of light in front of her. Next to her, Laine staggered a few paces, and Scar and Nova were tossed head over heels. Nova smacked into a large rock and fell in a heap, while Scar landed in a bush nearby, squawking angrily. 

*_Something like that,_* said Mew resignedly. 

"What was it?" Laine asked, looking around. "I felt somethin' _push_ me, but..." 

*_You wouldn't have seen it,_* said Mew. *_It was a telekinetic force. Someone moved you with their mind._* 

"Well, I've gotta say, I've heard some moving thoughts in my day, but this is in a whole new league," said Laine. 

"I didn't feel anything," said Aurora. 

*_Of course not. I was shielding you,_* said Mew. *_If you had felt the full force of it, you would have been thrown into the rocks. You probably would have been badly injured... or killed._* 

"Killed...?" said Aurora. She stared dazedly off into space. 

"Hey, take it easy," Laine said. "It was a close shave, but it ain't like any of us are hurt." 

Aurora shook her head. "No, that's not it. I was just thinking... that girl we found. She was walking through a place like this one - lots of cliffs and rocks and things. What if this is how she died? What if something just slammed her into those rocks like something almost slammed me?" 

"That might do it..." said Laine slowly. "Yeah, that would do it. She'd never see it comin', would she? Just walkin' along, mindin' her own business, and _wham!_ Lights out. No fingerprints, no footprints, no evidence at all. The perfect crime." 

*_That would take tremendously powerful Psychic energy,_* Mew commented. *_Very few humans or Pokemon could accomplish such a feat at a great distance._* 

"There aren't that many powerful human Psychics," said Aurora. "The greatest ones I know are Will and Sabrina, and they're both loyal to the League. They wouldn't do anything like this." 

"If they were plannin' to do somethin' like this, they'd pretend to be, wouldn't they?" said Laine shrewdly. 

"I can't believe they'd take the risk. They're too easy to trace," Aurora retorted. "Sooner or later, someone would have had to guess this could be the work of a Psychic, and they'd be the most obvious choices. Wouldn't they be smart enough to plant evidence that it was done by somebody else? Someone who wasn't a Psychic, I mean." 

"So who do you think it was, then?" asked Laine. 

"I don't know... at the meeting, Ash Ketchum suggested it could be some kind of Pokemon," said Aurora. "What do you think, Mew? Could a Pokemon have done this?" 

*_It's possible,_* he said grudgingly, *_but all my Psychic impressions lead me to believe that this was done by a human._* 

"Well, we can keep it in mind, anyway," said Laine. 

"I think we ought to tell someone what happened," said Aurora, going to free Scar from the bush. "We definitely ought to let Lance know... and Falkner. And I guess we ought to call the others..." 

"Great," Laine muttered. "We get to play secretary again." 

"It'll only take a minute," said Aurora. 

She sat down on a convenient rock and began dashing off two quick notes - one for her mentor, one for Lance - and began looking for suitable transportation for them. She considered withdrawing Grandwing, but she'd already sent him on one long journey a few days ago, and hesitated to make him leave again so soon, so instead she enlisted the service of a local Fearow. The letter to Lance could travel with a Pidgey, as it was only a short journey. The small bird was quite excited to have a reason to visit the Reigning Champion, and hopped around so excitedly that tying the note in place became an ordeal in itself. Laine, bored by the whole thing, amused herself by sending Nova to harass the local Geodudes, while Mew watched in apparent fascination. 

"There!" said Aurora, when the Pidgey had finally taken off. "See, that didn't take so long, did it?" 

"If it had taken any longer, I'd be growin' moss," said Laine irritably. 

"Well, at least now we have something to tell Nick, when we see him," Aurora replied. "I'm tired of him acting like we're just out on a picnic or something... I'd like to see how much _he's_ gotten done." 

Laine shrugged. "I'd just as soon not. That boy gives me the creeps." 

"He's not that bad," said Aurora. "Not much worse than Morty, anyway." 

"Morty's bad enough," Laine grumped. 

*_This Nick is a Ghost Master?_* asked Mew. 

"Somethin' like that," said Laine. 

*_Perhaps I should find something else to do. Psychics are not fond of ghosts._* 

Before anyone had the chance to argue, there was a fizzing in the air around him, and Mew vanished from sight. 

"Hey, where'd you go?" Aurora called. There was no answer. 

"Great," Aurora muttered. "What if someone tries to attack us again? Then what will we do?" 

"Don' worry about it," said Laine. "He's a Psychic, isn' he? If someone tries somethin', he'll prob'ly know about it and come back." 

Aurora was only mildly comforted, but there wasn't much she could do about the situation. After all, who was she to tell a Legendary Pokemon what to do? Still, the feeling of being unprotected bothered her. She was used to having someone around to watch her back - Scar or Laine or even Ember, but what could any of them do to against this unseen Psychic menace? The thought made her uneasy, and she kept glancing back over her shoulder as if she thought she might see something lurking in the bushes. 

The road to Lavender Town was not a particularly smooth one. It led down from a cave in the mountains, and the path was strewn with rocks, and parts of it were uncomfortably steep and narrow. This was no problem for Scar, who could just fly over everything, but it was hard work for Aurora, and even sure-footed Laine was having to do some heavy concentrating. They were just navigating a particularly tricky stretch, when they were shocked by the sound of a bloodcurdling scream. Scar crowed, Laine swore, and Aurora lost her footing and went skidding down the slope to land hard at the bottom. 

"What in the...?" she demanded, half-frightened, half-indignant. 

Nearby, someone chuckled. She looked up to see someone standing, almost invisible, in the shadow of a boulder. Aurora glared. 

"I suppose you think that's funny?" she asked. 

"Of course I do," answered Nicholas, his dark eyes glinting wickedly. 

Aurora didn't say anything. She didn't normally spend more time around the young Ghost trainer than she had to, but she had still known him long enough to know that arguing was pointless. If anything, it would probably just give Nick more openings to have a laugh at her expense. 

"Allow me to offer my assistance," he said. 

He stepped out from the shadows, allowing a rare glimpse of him in full sunlight. He looked much more relaxed than she had seen him last. For the important trainers' meeting, he had gone formally attired in a black Apprentice Gym Leader's uniform. Now he was being casual, which for him seemed to mean black boots, black slacks, a sleeveless black shirt with Celtic designs on it, and an abundance of jewelry. Aurora noted a silver skeleton dangling from one of his ears, a spiked collar, a leather band with silver nailheads around one arm, and a necklace with arcane-looking designs on it. For the first time she noticed that there was a tattoo of a black rose on one arm. His hair was black, too, glossy as jet, slicked away from his forehead. Something about his swarthy skin and the structure of his face made her think he must have had an ancestor from the Middle East, but she had never bothered to ask him about it. She doubted she would have gotten a straight answer if she had. 

Nick extended his hand and pulled Aurora to her feet with a strength that was surprising for such a slender young man. Meanwhile, Laine came skidding down the mountainside to see what was going on. Scar flapped over and eyed Nick suspiciously, as if suspecting that he really wasn't the kind of person he wanted his trainer left alone with. 

"Would anyone like to explain what the flyin' flip that was all about?" Laine demanded. 

"What was what all about?" asked Nick, all innocence. 

"Don' play dumb with me," Laine said. "You musta heard that scream. It would wake a sleepin' Snorlax." 

"Oh, _that_ scream," said Nick. He glanced casually up the path, and a small Misdreavus phased into view and began hovering around his shoulder. "You'll have to excuse Mystery. She's been nervous lately. I'm afraid it makes her unmanageable." 

Mystery was now settled in Nick's arms, letting him stroke her head and generally looking the picture of innocence. She looked at the girls and grinned smugly. 

"Sure," said Laine. 

"So, what have you young ladies been up to? I haven't heard any groundbreaking secrets being unearthed," said Nick. 

"We're getting there," said Aurora. "We have some leads, anyway." 

"I'll be delighted to hear about them," Nick replied. 

Aurora gave him an oblique glance. "You act like you think we've been wasting our time. It's not like you've done anything useful." 

"Oh, haven't I?" he asked. "Well, that just shows what you know, doesn't it? Allow me to show you the fruits of my labors." 

He led them down the hill until they came into sight of a moderately-sized town. It had the bright, freshly-painted look of a place that has done a great deal of growing in a short amount of time. Looking closely, Aurora thought she could identify the town's roots - a cluster of drab-looking buildings at the center of town, each with a faded purple roof and a somewhat imposing air. The buildings around those were cleaner and cheerier, done in soft, inviting shades of lilac and pink. The only exceptions were a tall building with an abundance of shiny glass windows and elaborate trim, and a smaller, flatter, duller building tucked off to the side of town. 

"Behold," said Nick, waving his hand grandly. "The fruits of my labors." 

"All I see is Lavender Town," said Laine derisively. 

"It's nice to know your eyes are in good working order," Nick replied. "That's what you're supposed to see." 

"Well, what about it?" Aurora asked. 

"It's still standing," Nick replied. 

Laine blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Nick sighed melodramatically and shook his head. "Such a pity. You can be remarkably dense for such an intelligent girl." 

"What's _that_ s'posed to mean?" 

"Look around," said Nick. "Lavender Town. Once a sleepy hamlet, full of the shadows and cobwebs of the past, sunk into the gloom of a nearly forgotten mountain valley, a place where more of its inhabitants were dead than alive. Now, look at it - a beautiful, thriving metropolis." He hung his head and put a hand to his heart, his expression one of deep emotional pain. 

"You talk like that's a bad thing," said Aurora. 

"It's a tragedy," Nick answered. "A misfortune of ... _monumental_ proportions." 

Mystery chirped in agreement. Aurora looked at the ghost, looked at Nick, and then looked back out at the scenery. 

"I think I get it," said Aurora slowly. "You're talking about the radio station, aren't you?" 

"There are times when I think you're not completely hopeless," he replied. "Yes, I'm talking about the radio station, and may Arons eat its antennas." 

"You're nuts," said Laine. "That radio station is the best thing to ever happen to Lavender Town. The place woulda dried up and died if the station hadn' come along." 

Nick just gave her one of his inscrutable looks. Laine met it for a moment, then looked away. 

"Come," said Nick. "I want to introduce you to a friend of mine - someone who understands my concerns." 

Without waiting to see if they would agree with him or not, Nick turned and began to saunter down the hill. The girls followed at a safe distance, while his Misdreavus watched them with suspicion on her golden eyes. 

"This guy ain't playin' with a full deck," Laine opined. "I thought he was weird before, but he's just plain bent." 

Aurora shrugged. "Did you ever hear of a sociable Ghost Master? I haven't. We shouldn't be surprised if he'd rather be in a town full of ghosts than people." 

"Yeah, but this kook makes Morty look sane," said Laine. "Maybe we oughta just skip this place and go straight on to Saffron? I'd sure as heck rather be there than here with him 'an his spooks." 

Aurora was momentarily tempted. It didn't sound as if Nicholas had anything substantial to tell her - he seemed more interested in fussing about how his precious ghosts had been faring than about a murderer on the loose. She might do better to go on to Saffron. Ember had said he would be there; he had his contacts in Saffron, who even now might be delving into the mystery and turning up clues while she lingered here. And again, she wanted to talk to him about that strange conversation they had had in Cerulean City... On the other hand, having any kind of conversation with Ember after that was likely to be awkward. 

"It would be rude to just walk out," she said. 

"Does he look like he cares about rude?" Laine replied. 

"He looks like he cares about something," Aurora replied. "I'd like to at least find out what's gotten him so worked up." 

"Nothing. He just wants to be in the spotlight," said Laine. "I say we ditch him and get out of here." 

"Hm," said Aurora. "What do you think, Scar? Go or stay?" 

Scar considered a moment. He looked critically down at the city. Then he spread his wings and crowed. 

"Scar says we should go," said Aurora. 

And that, obviously, decided the matter. Laine glared at Scar, as if she thought he had vetoed her idea just to spite her, and he looked back through his scarred eye and clacked his beak menacingly. 

"All right, all right," said Laine. "But when this turns out to be a bad idea, don't blame me!" 

~*~

Walking anywhere with a Ghost Master was an interesting experience. Since her mentor was good friends with Morty, obliging her to spend a certain amount of time with him, Aurora was used to it, but it was still interesting to watch. Everywhere Nicholas went, he picked up crowds of semitransparent Ghost Pokemon the way a magnet drew iron filings. Laine said it was more like watching static electricity pick up lint, and Aurora had to agree with her. The wispy ghosts clung to him in very much that same way until it was almost like he was wearing a gaseous, transparent coat. It drew some odd looks from passers-by. 

While they walked, Aurora evaluated her surroundings. She found herself privately agreeing with Laine; there was no reason why anyone ought to consider this town a bad place to live. Everything seemed fresh and alive, reminding her much of her beloved Violet City, or her birthplace in Goldenrod City. They all had the same bright, bustling feel to them. The radio tower in particular reminded her of her first home. Listening to the people around her playing its music or good-naturedly arguing over Professor Oak's latest talk, she could almost believe she would walk around a corner and find herself on the street leading to her parents' PokeGear shop. Laine, overhearing two people discussing a recent radio program on the behavior of Kecleons, had to be physically dragged away from the conversation. 

*_That radio station really is the lifeblood of the town,_* she mused, looking up at the lofty building, as it stood silhouetted against the blue sky. *_I can't believe Nick is so against it... even if they _did_ build it on the site of the old Pokemon Tower... He's just miffed because they kicked all his ghosts out._* 

The road they followed led to the center of town, to where the oldest buildings stood. It was quieter here - fewer shopfronts and restaurants, fewer young people, less noise and light. A thin haze seemed to hang over everything, and the trees had a faded look, as if autumn had come early, here. At last, Nicholas stopped in front of one of the larger houses. It was as faded as the others, but there was an air of grace about it, and it was slightly more lively than the others. This was owed to the fact that there was a large fenced yard around it, full of Pokemon of every shape, size, and description. A Dewgong splashed merrily in a pool while several Oddishes looked on, enjoying the spray. A good distance away, a Meowth was batting a rubber ball around, and a pair of Pichus were playing tag on the back of a sleeping Rhydon. A sign outside the building read simply, "Mr. Fuji's House." 

"He must be a heckuva trainer," Laine commented, eying the Rhydon with a covetous expression. 

"Oh, these don't belong to him," said Nicholas. "Didn't you know? Mr. Fuji runs a shelter for abandoned Pokemon. He's got a bit of an overflow right now - many of these originally belonged to those trainers who met untimely ends not long ago. They will remain here until he can find good homes for them." 

"I think Ember might have mentioned him, once," said Aurora. "He was saying that there was someone in Lavender Town that he sent Pokemon to if Team Rocket couldn't use them any longer..." 

"Mr. Fuji is aware only that, from time to time, a young stranger arrives in this town, always by night, and naturally hooded and cloaked against nocturnal chill. It is seldom the same man twice, and none of them ever leave so much as a name, much less a team affiliation," said Nick seriously. "This is what I've gathered through talking to Mr. Fuji, and to the spirits who dwell here. Your dear Ember is highly protective of his privacy." 

Aurora considered. "Yes, that sounds like something Ember would do, now that you mention it. He doesn't like people to know he's as nice as he is." 

"That is one of the things I like about myself," said Nick. "I don't make any secrets about what kind of person I am. I like to give them fair warning." His white teeth flashed in a wicked grin. 

"Yeah, yeah, that's real nice of ya," said Laine. "Open the door already." 

"I just thought I'd make it clear what you were walking into," he said. "I'd hate for either of you to offend Mr. Fuji. He's a decent sort - I could almost like him." 

Nick carefully opened the gate, using his foot to block the escape of an enthusiastic young Sentret, and ushered the girls across the lawn onto a shadowy front porch. He pressed a doorbell, and there was the sound of a gong echoing deep within the house. 

"Come on in!" called a cheery voice. "The door's not locked or anything." 

Somewhat startled by this contrast, Aurora nevertheless pushed the door open and peered inside. She found herself looking at a hallway, leading to charming old-fashioned sitting room. Everything had an antique look to it, but it was all clean and well-cared for, save that all the curtains and upholstery had the rather frayed look of something that has been used by generations of small animals for the sharpening of claws. A teenaged girl sat in one of the more ragged-looking chairs, bottle-feeding a Teddiursa. 

"Hi!" she said. "I would have answered the door, but my hands are full... Oh, hi, Nicholas. You didn't tell me you were bringing friends." 

"We aren't friends," said Laine. "We're prisoners of war." 

The girl laughed. "Well, nice to meet you, anyway. Were you looking for Mr. Fuji? He's upstairs in his study - worrying, for a change." She gave a helpless little shrug. 

"Yes, that is who we wanted to talk to. Thank you, Charity." 

"Any time," she answered. 

"Who was that?" asked Aurora as they trooped up a narrow carpeted staircase. 

"Mr. Fuji's niece, Charity. She works here over the summers, helping her uncle tend to the rescued Pokemon," said Nick. "She's all right if you like the sweet, wholesome type." 

At the top of the stairs, they found yet another long hallway that managed to be partly lit by sconces of electric candles. Obviously someone had gone through a lot of work trying to make the dim old house liveable, with moderate success. Nick guided his comrades through a door which led to a lovely library full of fine old leather-bound books. There was a large desk in the middle of the room, with a middle-aged man sitting at it. Aurora recognized him at once as one of the men she had seen at the meeting in Pallet Town. He was staring off into space with a concerned expression, but it shifted to one of relief as he saw his guests entering. 

"Nicholas, you're back," he said. "Thank goodness." 

"Has there been trouble while I was away?" asked Nick, frowning slightly. 

"No more than usual," answered Mr. Fuji with a sigh. "I've done my best, but they're growing more and more restless. I fear the worst." 

"I've told you my opinion on the matter," said Nick. "They're too much for you _or_ me. I doubt even my master could keep them under control for long, not at the rate things are going." 

"I know, but we have to try," said Mr. Fuji. "The people are worried as it is, what with one thing and another. If there was an outbreak now... are you sure we can't - can't defer things for a while?" 

"I can try," said Nick, "but it won't be easy. I won't guarantee this won't do more harm than good in the long run." 

"Well... try, won't you? We can't just sit by and watch it happen..." Mr. Fuji shook his head. "So. I see you've brought guests?" He gave the sentence an inflection that asked for more information. 

"Yes. Mr. Fuji, may I formally introduce you to Apprentice Gym Leader Aurora Cummings, and her Fearow, Scar? Also, respected Pokemon researcher Elaine Harvester." He made the introductions politely, with only the faintest hint of a mocking twinkle in his dark eyes. 

"Yes... I remember you from the meeting," said Mr. Fuji. "You were rather outspoken in Ember's defense, as I recall." 

"Yes," said Aurora stubbornly. 

"Well, that is your right. I am given to understand that he is a friend of yours... it may be that your objectivity is clouded, or it may be that he is indeed innocent. I don't have the time to argue about it either way. I hope you haven't come to try to persuade me; it would be a waste of both of our time." 

"We've been on the road looking for clues," said Aurora. "We've already got a suspect, we think - someone who isn't with Team Rocket." 

"Who is it?" asked Mr. Fuji curiously. 

"An ex-Gym Leader. He used to run a Psychic Gym in Johto," Aurora replied. "I'm almost sure he has something to do with it. We found one of his Badges at a crime scene, and, well... we have an informant." She resisted the urge to cringe; her evidence didn't sound very strong spoken aloud like that. 

"You wouldn't be referring to Gym Leader Alistair, would you?" Mr. Fuji mused. "I remember him vaguely. He turned out to be a strange sort. He came unhinged a long time ago... You'll have to find him if you want to accuse him of anything. Nobody has seen or heard from him in years. He'd be getting a bit aged by now - he might be dead. You'll have a job convincing anyone he's guilty of anything. Who is this informant of yours? Is he reliable? Where is he now?" 

"Well, he's... he's outside of town somewhere," said Aurora. "I wanted him to come with us, but he wouldn't. He's afraid of the ghosts." 

"As well he should be," said Mr. Fuji. "I've never seen them in such an uproar, not even years ago, when Team Rocket killed the Cuebone's mother. They were angry then, but this is worse." 

"And that's my cue to leave," said Nicholas. "If you want me to try to do something, it would be best if it were done sooner rather than later. Please excuse me." 

He bowed to each of them, even Scar, and exited the room. 

"I'm very grateful for his help," said Mr. Fuji, "but I must say that he is a very strange young man." 

"I think they're all like that," Aurora said. "These Ghost-people, I mean. What's wrong with the ghosts, anyway? What's Nick doing with them?" 

"They are restless," said Mr. Fuji. "More restless than I've ever seen them, and I've lived here in Lavender Town my entire life. It's been building for years, of course. It all started when they built that radio station. The city officials said it was a pity the largest and grandest building in Lavender town stood empty and almost unused, save for holding the graves of deceased Pokemon. Some young out- of-town developer convinced them that he could make us the Goldenrod City of Kanto if we would let him remodel the Pokemon Tower and turn it into an office building and radio station. And they listened to him. Why not? Our only real business in Lavender Town has been the care of the lost and deceased - hardly as profitable as the station would be. So they let him go ahead with it, and the Pokemon were moved to the monument." 

"Let me guess - they didn't like it," said Aurora, catching on. 

"Well, how would you like it if you'd been living somewhere for years and years, and then someone came along and made you move somewhere else, whether you liked it or not? They were annoyed, but we were able to contain their mischief... for a while. But now something else has them stirred up, and I've been at a loss to understand _what_, much less how to soothe them." 

"So you got Nick to talk to them for you," Aurora guessed. 

"Yes. We are lucky to have him here with us," Mr. Fuji replied. "Ghost-type affinities are rare, and what few we did have are gone now. Most of them have gone on to other places where they feel they'll be more appreciated. Nicholas's expertise has been invaluable. He's been doing everything he can to keep the spirits calm." 

"I guess that's what he meant when he said he was the reason this town's still standin'," Laine muttered. 

"He might not be exaggerating," said Mr. Fuji. "From what I gather, the ghosts are both very angry and very frightened. If his control were to slip, it may well be that they would take out their anger on the entire city." Mr. Fuji sighed. "I've been telling people for years that our ghosts deserve more respect, but... the station has brought us new jobs, tourists, more income, better homes... Why should anyone worry about a few ghosts?" 

"It sounds like we're both drumming for an unpopular cause," said Aurora. 

"Hm? Oh, you mean your friend the Dragon Master," said Mr. Fuji. "Well... I suppose I don't know. I have my opinions about Team Rocket. They've left their mark here in the past, you know... and the past has a way of lashing back if you ignore it." 

"It's dangerous to get so stuck in the past that you forget what's going on right now," Laine observed archly. "In case you didn' know, Team Rocket killed my old dad... and Ember's one of my best friends." She shrugged. "'Course, I let him know what I'd do to him if I ever caught him gettin' up to some of the stuff his uncle used to pull, too." 

"Is that so?" said Mr. Fuji, still looking mildly skeptical. "I'll have to think about it." 

Aurora sensed she wasn't getting anywhere, and decided she might as well leave while everyone was still on good terms. 

"By the way," she said, "where did Nick get off to? I'd like to ask him a few questions, if I could." 

"He'll have gone to the monument," said Mr. Fuji, as if glad of the change of subject. "He may not want to be disturbed, though. Not being a Ghost Master myself, I couldn't tell you what he's doing, but it seems to drain him badly. It's possible he'll be in no mood for answering questions by the time you get to him." 

"Well, we'll have a quick look, anyway," said Aurora. "Thanks for your time, Mr. Fuji. If you hear anything interesting, let us know, won't you?" 

"Of course," he said. "Good day to you both." 

The girls and Scar began heading for the door. Halfway out of the room, Laine stopped and asked, "Do you have a home for that Rhydon, yet?" 

For the first time since they'd met him, Mr. Fuji's face broke into a smile. "If you want him, you can have him. He's eating me out of house and home - almost as bad as the time we had to take care of a Snorlax." 

"Oh, I've got one of those, too," said Laine. "If I can handle him, I can handle anythin'." 

"Very well, then. I'm sure you'll take good care of him," answered Mr. Fuji. "By the way, are you the same Elaine Harvester who wrote that article on forced evolutions? It was very well done. I was particularly intrigued by your observations on Gengars." 

"Yep, that was me," said Laine. "Was nothin', really. Just followin' up on some stuff my dad did, is all." 

"I thought some of it looked familiar! I remember when he came here to work on that paper. A fine young man..." 

Aurora listened to the conversation with faint amazement, and resolved that next time she encountered this man, she would let Laine do the talking. 

~*~

The Pokemon Monument was a pleasant place. As a matter of fact, it was so pleasant that Aurora and Laine almost walked right by it without seeing it. They had left Mr. Fuji's house feeling moderately confident that, if he wasn't for them, at least he wasn't against them. Then they had set out to find Nick and see what he was doing, but even though they knew roughly where the monument was supposed to be, they didn't actually realize what it was supposed to look like up close. They were surprised to find it to be a clean white building surrounded by a chattering crowd of people - tourists, by their dress and demeanor - pointing things out and taking pictures. They were doubly amazed to find a souvenir stand being run nearby, where people could buy flowers and other trinkets to decorate the graves of the deceased. 

*_No wonder the ghosts are upset!_* thought Aurora, staring in amazement. Scar croaked his disapproval, and clacked his beak at a contingent of passing sightseers, who squeaked and jumped out of his way. 

"Fear, fear, fear!" he scolded. 

"You're right," said Aurora. "What do they think this is, a circus?" 

"Whaddaya mean?" Laine drawled. "Once ya start convincing people money's more important than respect, d'ya think they're gonna stop and say, 'Okay, enough of that'?" 

"I guess not," said Aurora, and sighed. "Well, I guess if we want to find Nick, we'd better go in." 

"Hope they aren't sellin' tickets," Laine muttered. 

They joined the line and waited patiently for their turn to enter the building. At least it was better inside. Everything was done in soft, muted tones that gave an image of tranquility, and the assortment of marble gravestones had a noble air about them. The floors were carpeted, absorbing sound and bringing a muffled hush over the area. Even the tourists were quieter. A faint perfume of flowers and incense hung in the air. 

*_This would be a lot better if there weren't so many people,_* she thought, looking around at the crowd. The only people who seemed to really belong here were an elderly woman, who soberly hung a wreath of flowers around a statue of an Arcanine, and a little boy who sobbed quietly in front of a new-looking stone. Aurora felt a deep stab of pity - and anger. She imagined what it would be like if she were to lose Scar, her dearest friend, and have his final resting place be turned into a tourist trap. 

*_This isn't right. These people ought to be allowed to grieve in peace!_* she thought fiercely. 

"Excuse me," said a young woman, who wore what appeared to be a guide's uniform, "is there something I could help you find?" 

"I was told that Nicholas Underhill the Ghost-speaker was here," she replied. 

"Yes, he's upstairs," the girl answered. "We said he could work down here, but he said he couldn't concentrate in all the hustle and bustle." 

"Imagine that," said Laine dryly. 

"Well, it does get a little crowded sometimes," the girl admitted sheepishly, "but you get used to it, after a while." 

"Why do you bother to work here, anyway?" Aurora blurted. "How can you stand it?" 

"This isn't exactly my idea of a great job," answered the girl, "but I was grateful for what I could get. I want to go to the dance school in Ecruteak someday, see, but I wouldn't have the money if I didn't work here." 

Aurora opened her mouth and shut it again. What could she say to that? She could hardly criticize a girl for following her dream. 

"Well, if you're ever in Violet City, look me up," she said. "It's not that far from Ecruteak, really." 

"Sure!" said the girl brightly, and scooted off to answer someone's question. Aurora could hear her dimly across the room: "No, we don't have any trouble with ghosts here... Yes, they're here, but they stay pretty quiet, most of the time..." 

The girls started up the staircase, with Scar hopping behind them, complaining - he hated having to climb stairs. 

"I wouldn' work here no matter how much you paid me," Laine muttered. 

"Well, you're lucky," said Aurora. "You have specialized skills. Anytime _you_ need money, you can pick a few Apricorns and make a bunch of Pokeballs to sell. _And_ you've got a famous father, so everyone takes you seriously because they expect you to live up to his name. What if you didn't have all that?" 

"I'd be stuck back in Azalea Town," Laine admitted. "Guess you're right. There's not a lot to do back there, unless you wanna work at the charcoal kiln... or raise bugs... or Slowpokes." She paused. "I guess there wasn't much to do in Lavender Town before the radio station came, was there?" 

"I guess not," said Aurora. "Hm. There ought to be a way for the humans to get what they need without offending the Pokemon. When I'm a Gym Leader, I'll make them do something about it!" 

"How are ya gonna do that?" Laine asked. 

Aurora deflated. "I don't know yet. I need time to think about it." 

"Guess it doesn' matter," said Laine offhandedly. "Ya got a ways to go yet before you're a Gym Leader, anyway." 

"Thanks for reminding me." 

They reached the top of the staircase, opened the door, and walked into a black room. Aurora blinked. She was at a loss to say what the room looked like, because someone had turned out all the lights and covered all the windows, leaving everything in near-total darkness. The only lights came from a scattering of small candles sitting on the floor. By their light, she could just barely see Nick, chalking designs on the floor. He looked up as he heard the new arrivals entering the room. 

"Oh, look," he said. "Tourists." 

"Very funny," said Laine. "What are you doin' up here? Vandalizing the joint?" 

Nick looked prim. "For your information, I've been asked to help, and I'm helping. This happens to be one of my methods of ghost-control. Of course, if it were up to me, I'd go ahead and let them do as they please, but unfortunately, that's not my judgement to make." 

"Why did Morty ever take you on as an apprentice, anyway?" asked Laine. 

"I believe he thought he could teach me some discipline." Nick grinned. "Vain hope. I intend to be a great Gym Leader someday. I intend to use my position for the benefit of Pokemon and humans alike. However, I have very little patience or mercy for people being this stupid." 

"So, what's this all about?" asked Laine, creeping forward to look at the markings on the floor. "You plannin' on holdin' a seance?" 

"Something like that," was his offhand reply. "Being a scientist, I'm sure you know that when it comes to hauntings, there are ghosts and then there are _ghosts_." 

"What does that mean?" asked Laine skeptically. 

"I mean," he answered patiently, "there is a difference between a Ghost Pokemon and your run-of-the-mill ghost. This place has both. I can communicate well enough with the Ghost Pokemon by ordinary means, but for the others, I need something a bit fancier." He sat back and looked at his design, for the first time looking a little worried. "I have my misgivings about doing this. I'm not nearly as experienced in it as my master is; I've never had to do it in a serious situation. If it goes wrong, it could make things worse than they are now... Still, I did promise I'd try." 

"Why are you so worried?" Laine asked. "I thought you wanted your precious spooks to overrun the place." 

"Well, yes, there is that," said Nick, "but I have no intention of becoming one of them before my time. Stand back, if you'd be so kind. You're blocking my light." 

Laine backed away, though by the look on her face, she was more worried about the possibility of joining the local spirits than she was about blocking Nick's light. Aurora and Scar also moved a few feet away, Scar hissing and half-unfurling his wings as he always did when he felt his trainer was being threatened. Nick went back to inspecting his chalk lines. Finding that they were all in order, he settled down, tailor style, and stared fixedly out into the darkness. The dancing candles made tiny sparks of light in his black eyes. Aurora felt a slight chill. 

"You may watch, if you like," said Nick, sounding somewhat distant. "I warn you that it may prove somewhat disconcerting... though perhaps educational." 

"I'll stay," said Laine. She would never deny herself the opportunity to learn something. 

"If she stays, I'm staying," Aurora replied. 

"Fear fear," Scar agreed. _He_ wasn't afraid of ghosts. 

"Very well. Please be quiet, then. I need to concentrate." 

No one said anything after that. Nick continued to stare out into the darkness, his expression one of intense concentration. For long minutes, nothing happened. Nick's eyelids slowly lowered until Aurora started to think he had fallen asleep. She was just wondering if this was what was supposed to happen, when she felt something like a cold wind rush past her. Looking up, she realized there was something pale and semitransparent hovering in front of Nick. A sound grazed her ears, something so high-pitched she registered it more as a feeling than a sound. It was senseless to her, but it seemed to mean something to Nick, because he raised his head and opened his eyes to look at the specter. 

"My apologies," he told it. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I only wanted to ask if there is someone here who can tell me why the spirits here are so restless as of late. Do you know anything about it?" 

That keening noise again. Laine grimaced and covered her ears. Nick nodded. 

"I see," he said, frowning slightly. "I had suspected something like that. But there's something else, isn't there?" 

More noise. Whatever it meant, Nick didn't like the way it sounded, because he continued to frown and said, "Is there someone else I can talk to? Someone who knows more?" 

There was a moment of silence this time, before the ghost gave a short, emphatic reply. Nick nodded again. 

"Now we're getting somewhere," he said. "May I talk to him, please?" 

The ghost trilled again, and vanished. Nick breathed a sigh and wiped his sweating forehead. 

"In case you didn't follow that," he said, "the ghost who answered my call said that the local spirits are thoroughly annoyed at being ousted from their former resting place. That much we knew. He also said, though, that there is something else going on. A spirit who had formerly been resting peacefully has reawakened for some reason, and he's particularly upset about something. He's been spreading dissent in the ranks. If we can pacify him, we may get this problem solved." 

"And if we can't?" Aurora asked. 

Nick just shrugged. "We shall see, won't we?" 

They waited. Gradually, a mist gathered at the center of the diagram. Instead of remaning vague, though, this spirit continued to refine itself until it looked almost solid. Aurora stared as she made out the image of a Pokemon - an Espeon, nearly identical to the one Laine had raised. The only difference was that this one had glowing red eyes, full of anger from beyond the grave. Aurora felt a chill settle over her. Nick's eyes widened in surprise, and he took a deep breath, something that didn't strike her as a good sign. Nevertheless, he marshaled himself and addressed the apparition. 

"Greetings," he said gravely, in a voice that was unlike his normal, playful tone. "I am Nicholas Underhill, a Ghost-speaker. Do you have a name, spirit?" 

There was a pause. Then a deep voice echoed through the room: "_Morpheus._" 

"Morpheus. Are you the spirit who has been disturbing the other ghosts here?" 

"_In part._" 

"Can you tell me more?" 

"_You know the reason. Danger lurks in this place - danger to all who obey the Pact. There is one who dares to destroy the bond between Man and Pokemon, the ancient Pact which was sworn in time before memory._" 

"I didn't know about _that_," said Nick, taken aback. 

"_You suspected._" 

"Well, I knew something was afoot, yes," Nick said. "Is this why you are so angry then." 

"_In part._" 

"I would like a whole answer, please, if that's not too much to ask." 

Morpheus considered. At last, he said, "_I am in disgrace. One I loved has betrayed me. Until the wrong is righted, I cannot rest in peace._" 

"Can you tell us what was done?" asked Nick. 

"_There is one who wishes to destroy the Pokemon League and bring an end to the Pact that bonds Humans and Pokemon. He will destroy it at all costs, even if it means taking innocent lives._" He lowered his head, radiating a deep sorrow that Aurora had never seen in anyone, human or Pokemon. When he raised his head again, his eyes were blazing. "_Such a crime has never been known since the days the Pact was forged - and it is being done in my name!_" 

At that, Morpheus threw back his head and gave a howl of utter agony. Aurora shrieked and covered her ears, Laine cringed, Scar crowed, and the tourists downstairs gave out a universal scream and fled for the doors. Nick, completely stunned, gave an involuntary jerk and knocked one of his candles over. Melted wax spilled across the floor, obliterating part of his chalk-drawing. The howling stopped. Cautiously, everyone opened their eyes and looked up. Nick had gone pale behind his dark skin. 

"Is it over?" asked Aurora. 

"Take cover," said Nick, and threw himself to the floor and covered his head. 

"What the-?" Laine began. 

Morpheus was still hovering placidly in the middle of the diagram, but his expression had gone to one of pain to one of speculation. 

"_Free..._" he hissed softly. 

There was a sudden rushing, as of many invisible people whispering to each other. The next thing Aurora felt was a torrent of something icy cold rushing past her, freezing her inside and out. Scar crowed loudly and battered at her and Laine with his wings, forcing them to the ground and covering them as the strange force rushed by. Aurora caught an impression more than a sight of a crowd of ghosts, led by Morpheus, bursting out of the building and through the streets. The sound faded, faded... and finally vanished. Warily, she opened her eyes and found Nick sitting up and brushing himself off. 

"Are we still alive?" asked Laine, from the safety of beneath Scar's wing. 

"I think that's a distinct possibility," Nick replied. He turned on the lights and started snuffing out candles. 

"What exactly happened, anyway?" Aurora asked. "Get _off,_ Scar." 

Scar muttered to himself. He seemed disinclined to let Aurora go anywhere until he was sure the trouble was past, and she was having difficulty getting his wing away from her face. 

"Well, it would seem that I damaged my containment diagram," said Nick, who was now busy cleaning his chalk markings off the floor. "Having done that, the spiritual energy summoned was free to go where it would." He peered out a window. "It would seem they chose to go to the radio station. My word, what a mess they're making down there..." 

"You mean you just let every ghost in this building and then some come out an' run around town doin' whatever they want?" asked Laine. 

"Yes, well, that can sometimes happen," said Nick with a shrug. "I did tell you it might go wrong. Considering that everyone here was about ten minutes from a revolt, anyway, I don't see where I did much wrong." 

"You wouldn't," Aurora muttered. 

"Well, what's done is done, I suppose," said Nick, picking up all his candles and putting them into a bag. "I suppose I must go find Mr. Fuji and tell him what happened. He'll be disappointed... in public, of course." 

"You're awfully calm about all this," said Aurora. "Don't you care about the trouble you've caused?" 

"I didn't make them riot. They did that by themselves," he said. "Besides, look at it this way - think what we've learned." 

"What _have_ we learned?" Aurora asked. 

"We learned that some nutzoid is trying to destroy the Pokemon Leauge by killin' off random people and claimin' a dead Pokemon made him do it," Laine summed up. 

"Well, there you go. You learned something," said Nick brightly. "Well, I must go make a report. Adieu, ladies. Hope I see you again soon." 

He bowed politely and sauntered off, apparently without a care in the world. Aurora and Laine just looked at each other blankly. 

"Yeah, I learned somethin'," said Laine. "I learned never to rely on a Ghost-speaker for anything." 

"Hm," was all Aurora said. 

They went downstairs. It was quite empty and quiet now, almost pleasant now that everyone had left. Aurora wondered what would become of it now - whether the ghosts would settle down and return to their graves, or whether they intended to take back their tower and stay there. A lot of things were going to change around here... and it all went back to some mysterious man and an Espeon named Morpheus... 

The city outside was in an excited state of chaos, with people running around crazily, either trying to get away from the onslaught of ghosts or running out to have a better look. City officials were shouting wildly into cellular phones, trying to contact someone who could do the situation any good. A few steadfast thrill-seekers were heading to the scene of the action carrying cameras. In all the hubbub, no one noticed two girls and a Fearow heading as quickly as they could toward the Saffron City exit. 

"Hey, Laine," said Aurora after a while, "what do you know about the Pact? You know, the one Morpheus was talking about?" 

"That?" Laine replied. "That's part of the old legend of the First Trainers, ain't it? They made a promise with all the head honcho Pokemon that Humans and Pokemon would work together an' be friends insteada fightin' each other. That's how I think the story went, anyway." 

"I thought so," said Aurora, frowning. "But why would anyone _want_ to break it? Pokemon do so much good for us... when you start to break them up, things like this happen." She waved in the direction they had come, where the radio tower stood against the darkening sky, with Ghost Pokemon swooping about breaking windows. 

"I dunno," said Laine. "But it kinda fits, don't it? Someone goin' around pickin' off trainers and settin' the Pokemon free... It is kinda like they want us to go back to the old days, isn' it?" 

"But why?" Aurora repeated. 

Laine shrugged. "Only one person knows, don't he? Well, two, but one of 'em's dead." 

"I guess you're right," said Aurora. "We've got to find him... and find out why for ourselves..." 

They walked out of the city and set off on the road to the next town. Behind them, they left a city in the midst of confusion, a cluster of ghosts enjoying their freedom... and one Ghost-speaker who sat quietly by, watching and smiling blissfully. 


	8. Stage Eight It's All In Your Mind

**

It's All In Your Mind

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

The Psychic was suffering from a headache. It was making him rather more unhappy than usual - his life was never particularly enjoyable, these days, but it did not usually involve him having an ache between his eyes that was so profound that he could barely see straight. It had been a long, long time since he'd struck a psychic backlash of that kind of magnitude. It confused him. He had been fairly sure that the girl he'd attacked had been traveling with only one human companion - a girl as prosaic as cold oatmeal - and an assortment of minor Pokemon, none of whom should have been strong enough to thwart his psychic barrage. He had simply struck out at her, as he always did when he wanted to finish off a victim, and instead of sending her to her death on the rocks, he'd struck an immovable shield with disabling force. Even at the best of times, such an effort would have left him exhausted for days. Having expended that force and have it flung back at him, he now felt to debilitated to even want to move. Yet, move he must - it was all about timing, now, and he would have to keep the momentum of his work going. Finding himself robbed of what little appetite he normally possessed, he had opted to skip breakfast and move straight to his workroom. He sank into his desk chair with a small groan, and, with wrenching effort, focused his attention on one of his many crystals. 

Slowly, painfully, he was able to bend it to his will and force it to show a small, blurry picture - one he could recognize as the haughty features of his helper. Unfortunately, that was only through long practice and association, and not through any accuracy his vision might possess. He sighed, and even that small waver in his concentration caused the picture to shift and warp. For a moment, it was replaced by a rather unpleasant image of a man being tied to a stake, and the Psychic shoved it away. 

"What do you want?" asked the Man in Red brusquely. 

"I want your help," the Psychic replied. 

"I knew that. You can't do anything yourself, can you?" 

"I don't want to argue. Please, just listen." 

The Man in Red was uncharacteristically quiet. Perhaps it was because he so seldom had the word "please" employed. 

"All right. What is it?" he asked at last. 

"The girl. The one with the birds..." The Psychic trailed off; he knew he should know the girl's name, but he couldn't take his concentration off his crystal long enough to think of it. "She is... protected by some force I cannot fathom. I find myself unable to touch her..." 

"And you want me to get rid of her by more mundane means," the Man in Red finished. 

"I want to know what it is that protects her. I will not act without more information." 

"Information! You are a Psychic. Get your own information." 

"I told you, I cannot!" the Psychic shouted, and then fell back in his chair, gasping at the effort. The image in the crystal danced crazily, and he struggled to make it hold. "Just... find her and learn what you can. Do nothing else. Do you understand me?" 

He received no answer. His energy was spent; the image was gone. With a groan, the Psychic slumped back in his chair, closed his eyes, and gave up on doing anything more. 

Many miles away, the Man in Red tucked his own crystal back in his pocket. Encounters with his ally always left him feeling a little uneasy, and today was a worse day than ever in that regard. 

*_The old man is losing ground,_* he thought. *_He's likely to drop dead before this whole thing is completed, and then what will I do? I can't do anything if he drops dead before we're done._* 

He scowled. The whole plan could not go on without the Psychic's so-useful ability to kill people off from a distance, without a trace. Without him, there was no point in hanging around - he might as well go back to Cinnabar Island. But then what? He would still be unavenged, and there would be some nasty questions waiting for him when he got back home - awkward questions with no ready answers - questions involving why Gym Leaders suddenly disappeared without a trace. It was true, too, that the white-haired girl had seen him, if only from a distance. It was possible she'd recognize him if she saw him again, and equally possible that she was already sure it was him. In that case, he might as well jump down the Cinnabar Volcano and save himself some trouble. 

*_No. I have not debased myself so far for nothing. I will not go back. I will have my revenge on those who have wronged me... and if that girl continues to meddle in my affairs, then she must go._* 

He grimaced, rubbing at his stomach; the whole situation gave him indigestion. He simply wasn't cut out for this kind of stress; he was a sedentary sort by nature, more suited for the life of contemplation than action. Well, no matter. He could relax when this was all over. As he began trudging down the road, he mused that it was rather a pity that the girl hadn't let the Man on the Mountain kill her off when she had the chance. At his hands, her end would have been swift, and quite possibly painless. The Man in Red was not a talented killer. Her end, when it came, was likely to be a drawn- out and uncomfortable affair for both of them. He wished he didn't have to do it - the very idea made him queasy. But it had to be done. With that in mind, he tugged his jacket more closely around him, and walked slowly toward the city. 

~*~

It was hard for Aurora to say just why she was starting to feel relieved. She'd been uneasy ever since she'd left Lavender Town and its inhabitants (both dead and alive), and had suffered a night of uneasy dreams in which an unhappy Espeon had figured vividly. However, she had a feeling that things might be getting better today. For one thing, the sky was clear and blue, and the summer air was pleasantly warm. For another, she could see the tops of the Saffron City skyscrapers glittering in the distance, a beacon of promise. For one thing, she trusted the Saffron City Gym Leader. For another, Ember had said he'd be there, and she found that she wanted to see him again, even after the awkward parting they'd had last time. Then again, maybe she was feeling reassured just because Mew seemed so happy. He was hovering along at the head of the group with a smile on his face and his eyes closed, and from time to time, he'd make a soft purring sound. 

"And what're you so happy 'bout?" Laine wanted to know. It was still early, and she'd not completely gotten over her wake-up-call grumpiness. 

*_This place is friendly to Psychic Pokemon,_* he answered. *_It feels nice. I like it._* 

"I hope that's a good thing," said Aurora. "Our enemy is a Psychic, too, remember?" 

*_You'll be safe,_* said Mew. *_Here, anyway. Someone has warded this place very strongly against outside influences. I don't think any human Psychic could reach you here, unless he was very close by._* 

"We'll just hafta hope he's not close by, then," said Laine. 

Aurora shrugged and said nothing, but Scar crowed disdainfully - _he_ would not let anyone, Psychic or not, get too close to _his_ trainer. 

Nevertheless, as the famous Golden City of Commerce drew ever closer, Aurora felt her spirits lifting in a way that she did not, at first, completely understand. It wasn't until she found herself walking through the gates of the city itself and looking around at its gleaming skyscrapers and busy shops that it struck her what she was really feeling. For days she'd been traveling in an unfamiliar country, dealing with everything from hostile Gym Leaders to dead bodies to rampant ghosts, and deep down, she'd been feeling just a bit homesick. A part of her just wanted to wake up the next morning and find herself in her snug little room in the Violet City Gym and getting up to feed the birds in the aviary, or maybe helping Falkner prepare for his next battle. This teeming metropolis wasn't anything like Violet City, but it was just about the next best thing. After all, she was a big-city girl by birth - she'd grown up in the busy storefronts of Goldenrod City, and this place was enough like it to make her feel like home. Any minute, she expected to round a corner and find herself looking up the street to her parents' old PokeGear shop. 

"Pretty snazzy," said Laine approvingly. "I always wanted to see this burg. Think they got good pizza here? I could go for some lunch." 

"How can you think of lunch at a time like this?" asked Aurora. 

Laine shrugged. "Easy. I like pizza. Do ya know how _hard_ it is to get a good pizza when ya live in the middle of nowhere? Nobody in Azalea could make pizza worth nothin'." 

Aurora laughed. "We'll find some somewhere before we leave. It's not quite noon, though... I was hoping to get some things done while we were here." 

"I know, I know," said Laine, grinning. "You were plannin' on meetin' somebody here, weren'cha?" 

Aurora refused to rise to the bait. "Yes, we really ought to talk to Gym Leader Sabrina while we're here." 

"Aw, c'mon. That's not who you're _really_ here to see, is it?" 

Aurora didn't answer for a moment. She had seen something that had caught her eye - something shadowy that was moving through one of the nearby alleyways. At first, she thought it was Mew, lurking out of sight, but a moment's deliberation made her realize that it couldn't be. For one thing, Mew's presence was never vague - either he was there where she could see him, or he was completely invisible. For another thing, this shape was much too large... but very familiar... 

"Oh, really?" she said. "Then who _did_ I come here to see?" 

"Yes, Miss Elaine," said a voice from the shadows. "Tell us who you came to see." 

Laine jumped. She whirled around and faced the shadow with fire in her eye fit to make all but the strongest hearts quail. 

"Don't sneak up on me like that," she snapped. "And _don't_ call me Elaine, carrot- head." 

"Please," said Ember, walking nonchalantly out of the alley. "I had the courtesy to address you by your proper name. Do me that same favor." 

"I thought ya didn' want us usin' your real name," said Laine. "Thought ya were worried 'bout gettin' noticed or somethin'." 

Ember waved a hand negligently, seeming perfectly relaxed. Aurora noted that he was dressed in what, for him, would be a casual fashion - not the jacket and cap he wore when he didn't want to be recognized, but simply a dark shirt and slacks. He hadn't even made an effort to hide his distinctive red hair. Skystar, his pet Dratini, was draped over his shoulders like a thick blue scarf, watching everything with an expression of curiosity. 

"Not in this city," Ember replied. "Between my own people and the good Gym Leader, I have considerably freer reign here than I do anywhere else on the continent. It's one of the reasons I came here in the first place." 

"Don't notice me or anything," said Aurora, staring up at the sky in exasperation. "I'll just stand here and twiddle my thumbs." 

She was expecting Ember to make some kind of clever retort. She was rather surprised to see him turn to her and make a polite bow. 

"I beg your pardon," he said. "I was merely attempting to postpone the inevitable." 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aurora asked. 

Ember looked somewhat uncomfortable. "Ah... I meant to deliver an apology. My behavior at our last parting was unconscionably rude. Forgive me." 

"Erm... okay," said Aurora, confused. "Whatever you say, Ember. But really, I'm kind of used to you walking out on conversations like that. It's... just kind of what you do, isn't it?" 

For some reason, Ember looked mildly disgruntled. "Perhaps I am trying to raise my standards of behavior." 

"Oh," said Aurora. 

Laine nudged her. 

"He's tryin' to be nice, idiot," she hissed. "Let 'im have his apology an' get it over with." 

"Oh," she said again. "Um, well... thanks, anyway, Ember. It was, er, nice of you." 

Ember seemed to relax slightly. 

"As long as there are no hard feelings between us," he said. "So, while you are here... Saffron City can be confusing to an outsider. If you wish, I will accompany you through the city. I believe I know my away around better than anyone. Perhaps I could show you some of the sights. It would be a pity to visit the largest city in Kanto and not look around a bit." 

"Well, we were kind of in a-" said Aurora, and stopped as Laine stomped on her foot. This time she took the hint a little faster. "We were kind of interested in seeing a few sights, now that you mention it." 

"Excellent," Ember replied. "Follow me." 

He led the way up the street, with the girls tagging along on either side of them. Under the pretense of stopping at a crosswalk, Ember hissed to Laine, "You have your uses, Harvester." 

"Hey, I hadda do somethin'," she said. "I'm the only one here who knows what the heck is goin' on." 

Ember grimaced. "Too right." 

The group traveled steadily into the heart of the city, with Ember stopping to point out the occasional site of interest. They lingered outside the Sylph Co. building (Laine snapped a few pictures) but Ember declined to go in, saying that he was somewhat less than welcome there. They did, however, make a stop at a nearby gift shop and pick up a few souvenirs. The most interesting stop, however, was at a pair of small buildings that were much decorated with bright lights, which glittered even in the strong sunlight. There were a number of people passing in and out the doors, on and off the streets or from one building to another. 

"What's all that about?" Aurora asked. 

"That would be the local Game Corner," answered Ember. "Would you like a closer look? You might find it amusing." 

"Oh, I don't know," she said. "I don't have a lot of money on me, and tokens are expensive..." 

"That can be remedied," Ember replied. 

To Aurora's surprise, he accessed his PokeGear and withdrew two coin purses, both of them bulging slightly. He opened one and peered inside. 

"About two hundred tokens each," he said. "That should be enough to entertain you for a while, shouldn't it?" 

Laine boggled. "Er... are you just handin' us a few hundred dollars worth of tokens just so we can play _games_? You're outta your apricorn." 

Ember gave a short bark of a laugh. "Silly girl. I could _give_ you the whole Game Corner, tokens, prizes, and all, if I had a mind to. Who do you think _owns_ it? It's not the local board of public works, if that's what you were thinking." 

"But... I thought the Rockets had been driven out of the Game Corner," said Aurora uncertainly. 

Ember shrugged. "Not a problem. We just sent in some new operatives to step in where the old ones were sent out, moved our secret door, and no one was the wiser. You didn't think we'd let a profitable organization like this slip away, did you?" 

Laine regarded him narrowly. "How much are you worth, anyway?" 

"Let's put it this way - I make more ordering Rockets around than you ever will publishing scientific papers. Are you going to play or not?" 

"I'm in!" said Laine. She snatched up the money and scooted inside. 

Ember turned to Aurora. "Well? Aren't you going to join her?" 

"Why are you doing this, anyway? It's not like you," she said. 

"Maybe I just felt like doing something generous, for a change." 

"That's not what Laine would say," Aurora said. 

He looked away. "I know that. She's a canny young woman, in many ways. One of her gifts is the ability to know when to let things work themselves out on their own. Let's not make life any more complicated than it already is." 

"I'm not trying to make life complicated, I'm trying to make it _less_ complicated. I just want to know the truth." 

"The truth, my dear," he said softly, "is the most complicated thing there is." 

Aurora didn't know what to say. She met his gaze for a moment, and then looked away. Almost ashamedly, she took the coin purse from his outstretched hand. Her fingers brushed his for just a second. She walked away, very aware of his eyes on her as she left. Suddenly she was glad he hadn't said anything - it really would have been too complicated for them to handle, just then. 

Anyway, it was entirely too noisy to think about anything inside the game room. The entire building was awash in people. Bright lights adorned every available surface, and anywhere a light couldn't be fitted, there was some other covering of glitz and glitter to make it catch the light. The air was full of the whirring of roulette tables, the ringing of slot machines, and the electric bips and bleeps of people using video card-flip games, all mixed with the shouts of people and the rattling of tokens. From time to time, a siren would go off, and someone in the room would give a whoop of victory as they collected their winnings. Two pretty young women at a counter in the back of the room were dispensing tokens to paying customers. Aurora glanced around the room and spotted Laine crouched over a slot machine, while a gaggle of other people hung around and kibitzed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ember saunter casually into the room and walk up to a woman at the counter. After a brief discussion with her, he was admitted behind a discreet door that said "Employees Only", where he vanished from sight. 

*_There he goes again,_* she thought. The sheer normalcy of being annoyed at Ember made her feel a bit better. She went to join the gamers at their recreation. 

Despite of everything, Aurora managed to forget her troubles and have fun for a while. Even Scar seemed fascinated by the machines, with their whirring wheels and blinking lights. Just for fun, she offered him a token, which he dropped into a slot machine with his long beak, and then flapped up to pull the handle with his clawed feet. It was probably only a coincidence that three Jigglypuffs lined up in a row, causing the machine to spit out a handful of coins. Scar preened himself smugly. 

In the end, she managed to amass a respectable collection of coins, and decided to quit while she was still ahead. Over Scar's protests, she carried her winnings to the building next door, where prizes were being distributed, and swapped her tokens for a golden hair clip shaped like a soaring bird. By the time she'd returned to the Game Corner, Ember had returned from his errand, and was leaning casually against a pay phone where he would not be noticed unless someone happened to be looking for him. He caught her eye and nodded slightly. Taking that as an invitation, she walked over to join him. 

"Any luck?" he asked. 

"A bit," she said. "How about you?" 

"I was just checking up on a few things," he answered. A frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Things are not shaping up as well as they might. There is growing unrest in some of the other cities. There is increased talk of ousting Lance as Reigning Champion. If that were to happen, well... do I need to tell you?" 

Aurora shook her head. "I can imagine." 

"It has crossed my mind to wonder if this is not exactly what someone out there has in mind," said Ember softly. "Whoever is doing this is not exerting all this effort for no reason. They must have a plan, and I'd imagine it's something larger than picking off random Trainers. I can't imagine _why_ anyone would want to break up the League, but I don't doubt that someone else can." 

"So what do we do about it?" 

"Do? What _can_ we do? I myself am not likely to persuade anyone to do anything, and you are hardly better off. The aegis of Lance's approval will not get you much further. I think it is time we consulted someone wiser than ourselves." 

Aurora was about to ask just who this was supposed to be, but she was interrupted by a number of loud noises. A siren had gone off, with the accompaniment of much flashing light, and she could hear Laine giving out a victory whoop. Aurora and Ember turned to see the girl gathering up a sizeable spill of coins. 

"Wahoo! Jackpot!" Laine cheered. 

Ember shook his head. "I should have known better. I hope no one blames me for this." 

They trailed after Laine, who had collected her winnings and rushed as fast as she could to the prize distribution center. She disappeared into the crowd, only to return a few minutes later, grinning from ear to ear and clutching a PokeBall in both hands. She was positively dancing with excitement. 

"Look! Look what I got!" she caroled, thrusting the ball under Aurora's nose. "Man, am I lucky or what?" 

"It's a PokeBall," said Aurora blankly. 

"Duh," Laine replied. "It's what's _in_ the PokeBall that counts." 

"Let me guess," Ember said tiredly. "It's pink and blue and one of the rarest Pokemon on the continent." 

"Bingo!" said Laine. "I have _always_ wanted a Porygon! Thanks, Ember. You might be good for somethin', after all!" 

"Lovely," said Ember. "I suppose you know those things cost a fortune, don't you? And that I'm going to have to replace it now?" 

"Yep," she said. "Now we're even, right?" 

Ember looked disgruntled and declined to comment. 

Laine ignored him and clipped the ball to her belt. "Well, that was fun. What are we gonna do now, huh?" 

"Ember says he wanted us to talk to someone," said Aurora. "I think that's what he was getting at, anyway." 

"Close enough," he said. "I'm pleased to see you can get _some_ things through your brain, once in a while. Yes, I want to talk to someone. I was under the impression you did, too. Or did you just come here to sightsee?" 

"Don't be like that," Aurora said. "You know we came here to see Leader Sabrina. But I thought you were here to talk to your own informants." 

Ember grimaced. "I did. And they have come up with _nothing_ that is of any practical use. Whoever this person is, he seems to move without a trace. All I've been able to get is a handful of rumors about a man in red wandering the countryside... and we already knew about him. But we haven't been able to connect him with the killings. I can't begin to understand how anyone can do this without leaving so much as a footprint..." 

"We might have an answer for that," said Aurora. 

Ember's eyes narrowed. "Do you know something I don't?" 

Aurora smiled, feeling smug. It wasn't every day she got to know something Ember didn't. 

"Let's talk to Sabrina," she said. 

~*~ 

The Gym took some finding. Aurora doubted she would have been able to locate it at all, if Ember hadn't been there to act as guide. It was not, as she would have expected, near the center of the city, but off to one side, as if it had been placed there rather hastily as an afterthought. A large, empty building stood nearby, falling into disrepair. The Gym itself was plain enough that, in light of its surroundings, it might have been overlooked, if it hadn't been surrounded by a tall wrought-iron fence. It was done in crazy waving designs that made Aurora feel a bit dizzy if she stared at them for very long - a spiderweb of swirls and spirals. The air around it was very quiet. Even the cars and people in the streets seemed quieter than usual. 

"I don' think I like this place," Laine muttered, looking around nervously. "It givin' me the heebie-jeebies." 

"It's not that bad," said Aurora, puzzled. It was not easy to make Laine nervous, and Aurora was used to her friend taking everything in stride. 

Ember shrugged. "Offhand, I'd say it's the Fighting-type in her. They don't deal well with Psychics, as you should recall." 

"I don' care what it is," said Laine. "I just want it to go away." 

"Well, the sooner we start, the sooner we'll get it over with," said Aurora. 

She reached out to open the gate, and it swung silently inward at her touch. Something about its silence was eerie, and she suddenly found herself sympathizing more with her friend... but Ember was unruffled, and walked through the gateway without a backwards look. The girls had no choice but to follow reluctantly after him, with Scar slinking suspiciously in their wake. 

Beyond the gate was a broad swathe of perfectly manicured green grass, with no walkway or flagstones to mark its entrance. The grass was so smooth, it seemed to have never suffered the footfalls of human or Pokemon, and it absorbed the sound of their steps as they walked. The walk across it seemed interminable. Skystar, safe on her perch on Ember's shoulders, tried to hide her head under his jacket. 

At last, they reached the doorway, a pair of doors made of some dark wood, highly polished, with pretentious brass handles. The group looked at each other. 

"Well?" said Ember. "Aren't you going in?" 

"You do it," Aurora said. 

"Why me?" he asked. 

"It was your idea to come here." 

"You were going to come anyway." 

"Well, you said it first!" 

"Both of ya, shut up!" said Laine. "I didn' wanna come here, anyway, but it's stupid to fight over who's gonna open a dumb door. _I'll_ do it!" 

She reached out a hand to do so, but before she even touched the handle, the door swung open of its own accord... well, not quite. Standing behind the doorway was a young woman with long dark hair and sparkling dark eyes. She gave them all a catlike smile. 

"Very good," she said. "Welcome, all of you. You've done well to reach me here. Come in, come in." 

She stepped aside, and Aurora, feeling slightly dazed, allowed Gym Leader Sabrina to fling the doors open wide and welcome her guests. 

"Were you standing there waiting for us?" she asked as she walked by. "Why didn't you open the doors?" 

"I wanted to see if you would do it yourselves or not," she said. "I would have admitted you anyway, but I was curious to see what you would do." 

"What do you mean?" asked Ember, eyes narrowed. 

"My Gym is surrounded by a psychic barrier," answered Sabrina. "You see, a truly powerful Psychic is able to sometimes plant suggestions in the minds of other people. No, I cannot control anyone," she said, as if answering an unspoken question, "but I can sometimes sway people's thoughts one way or the other. The suggestion of this particular barrier is that this Gym is an eerie and mysterious place, and therefore frightening. It dissuades those who do not have control over their emotions. You two..." She gestured at Ember and Aurora. "...you were both frightened by what you did not understand. Instead of confronting it, you each attempted to put the decision on the other. That is not good. You will have to work on that, I think." 

Ember and Aurora looked somewhat guilty. Laine grinned. 

"So I did good, huh?" she said. 

"You are gifted with a great deal of stubbornness, and a certain amount of common sense," answered Sabrina. "Those are talents which will trump any amount of psychic suggestion." 

Laine looked pleased with herself. Scar hissed at her. 

"Be that as it may," Sabrina went on, "I've been looking forward to seeing you all here. We will have a talk, and perhaps we will all learn something." 

"That's what we were hoping," said Ember. Then he stopped and stared at her. "How did you know we were coming?" 

"I am a Psychic," she said. "As I sat in my meditations, I saw a vision, and in my vision, a white bird came down from the sky to perch at my door, and a path cut across the lawn, and a fire burned on my doorstep. And now the white bird, the flame, and the traveler are here, as I predicted." 

"Oh," he said. "I was hoping for something a bit more concrete than that. If all you can see are symbols..." 

"That is true. Yet I have a lifetime of training in interpreting the symbols... and, I would say, a gift for making educated guesses. I knew you three were on the road somewhere, and when I saw the symbols, I naturally thought of you. But come. We have more important things to discuss." 

"Right," said Aurora. "Like that man on the mountain." 

Sabrina gave her an appraising look. "It seems I have not read you as closely as I thought." 

They were led to what appeared to be a parlor of some sort, with a low table surrounded by soft cushions for sitting, and Sabrina waved her guests to their seats while she walked around the room lighting lamps. Even with all of them lit, the room still wasn't brightly lit, but they could at least see each other clearly. Skystar finally found the courage to come out and look around. 

"We will get to the point," said Sabrina. "You wish to know what I know about the recent killings, and the one you call the Man on the Mountain... and also, I hope, to tell what you know." 

"Well, we have a suspicion," said Aurora. "As to who's doing it, I mean." 

"This is the first I've heard about a suspect," said Ember. "What secrets have you and Falkner been keeping?" 

"Well, remember that weird Badge I found?" Aurora said. "I sent the picture to Falkner, and he said it came from a Gym run by a man named Alistair." 

"Alistair Whitehand," Sabrina murmured. "Yes... I should have thought of it before." 

"What?" asked Laine. 

"When all this began, I had a vision of a man wearing white gloves... or white hands." 

"Clever," said Ember. "So we suspect this man on the grounds of a lost Badge and a dream?" 

"There's more to it than that," said Aurora, a bit lamely. 

"Perhaps I can fill in a few blanks," said Sabrina. "Alistair was a Gym Leader before my time, but I heard his story from those who came before me." 

"He disappeared, right?" Laine piped up. "Just walked away and vanished." 

"Yes. Do you know why?" 

Laine deflated. "Not really." 

"I do. Alistair was, in his time, a great Gym Leader, who worked tirelessly to promote the bonds between humans and Pokemon. He was said to be rather aloof, when it came to dealing with human beings, but he adored Pokemon of all kinds and surrounded himself with them. He loved Psychic Pokemon in particular, who spoke with him and connected to him more deeply than any human could. His most cherished partner was an Espeon he called..." 

"Morpheus," said Aurora. 

Sabrina gave her a narrow look. "Dare I ask how you came up with that bit of information?" 

"One of our friends, a ghost master," Aurora said. "He had a kind of a seance, and Morpheus showed up. He wasn't very happy." 

"Interesting," said Sabrina. "I do not, as a rule, approve of ghost masters, but they have their ways of accomplishing things. So you know, or can guess, the next part of the story. Alistair loved Morpheus dearly, and was proud of his strength in battle. Then one day, there was an accident. What should have been a routine battle went badly wrong, and Morpheus was injured past healing. He died at sunrise the next day. The pain of his passing was too much for Alistair to bear. He released all his Pokemon, packed his belongings, closed the doors of his Gym, and left his town forever. Most would end the story by saying that he has not been seen or heard from again, and that he is probably dead by now. He is certainly aging, by now, but I doubt that he is dead. More than once, I have had visions of a man with white hands, and lately I've begun to wonder what thoughts a man may have after years of brooding on his loss..." 

"So you believe this Alistair man may be behind the killings?" asked Ember. "But how could he? If you are correct, he's an old man by now. He's in no shape to go wandering all over the countryside killing people." 

Sabrina glared at him. "You may be a great tamer of dragons, but you do not understand Psychics." 

She gave the teapot on the table a casual glance, and it rose a few inches into the air and refilled her cup. Ember frowned slightly as he watched the pot settle back into place. 

"Moving a teapot is easy," said Sabrina. "Moving a human is more difficult, but it can be done. A powerful psychic _could_ slay another human being without laying a finger on him, even from a great distance. It is very tiring and difficult, but it can be done... and there are certain artifices that may be used to make it easier. A man with twenty years of time on his hands and nothing better to do might grow quite proficient at it." 

"Hmm," said Ember slowly. "It makes a twisted sort of sense. A man loves his Pokemon, and loses it in a battle. It was the battle that killed it, so battles must be bad. And now someone is going around killing trainers and releasing their Pokemon, just the way he released his own..." 

"It makes more sense than you being behind it all," said Aurora. 

Ember glanced at her; he looked almost grateful. 

"Yeah, it makes sense," said Laine. "Trouble is, it ain't what people are gonna want to believe. D'ya think anyone's gonna buy that a guy who's supposed to be dead is really hidin' somewhere and pickin' off trainers one by one 'cause he's sad his pet Espeon died? I wouldn', if I hadn' been here listenin' to all of ya talk about it all this time... an' if I hadn' seen the Badge, and the ghost." 

"And there is the rub," said Sabrina. "There is no one like a Psychic when it comes to covering their tracks... except, perhaps, a Rocket," she added, with a nod to Ember. If he is capable of slaying another human being from miles away, he is certainly capable of persuading a few people to not believe he could possibly be alive, even as I was able to suggest to you all that you did not want to be here. It is true, too, that there is much unrest among members of the League, more than I have ever seen before. Something about it strikes me as unnatural." 

"Yes, I'd wondered about that," said Ember. "All the news I've gathered while I've been here has been bad." 

"How bad?" asked Aurora, surprised. 

Ember sighed. "It appears a revolution is in the offing. There is a comparatively small but highly vocal faction who have decided Lance's time has gone, and they are ready to oust him and put a new Reigning Champion in his place - and not by the conventional means. I shudder to think what the consequences of that would be." 

"Yeah, you wouldn' get to be the Champion next," said Laine. 

Ember gave her a withering look. "You know better than that. I'm talking about a complete breakdown of Leauge protocols. If this thing is allowed to run to its conclusion, there will be trouble it might take decades to undo." 

"So how do we stop it?" asked Aurora. 

"You seem to be laboring under the apprehension that we can," Ember answered. "You never seem to have accepted the fundamental truth that there are some things that cannot be changed by a single human with good intentions." 

Aurora looked stubborn. "Some things can." 

"So what do you think you're going to do, then? Walk up to them all and ask them nicely to behave until you get around to proving that a dead man is their killer?" Ember laughed harshly. "They'd stick you in a cell for your own protection." 

Aurora's eyes flashed. "So you aren't even going to _try_ to help?" 

"I didn't say that," said Ember. "I'm just going to apply my energies in a direction where I think I can actually be of some use. Thanks to you, I now know where to look. If this Alistair Whitehand truly lives, and if he's behind all this trouble, no force in the world can keep my men from finding him, even if we have to turn over every rock in the Silver Mountains to do it." 

"An' what are we gonna do, then, huh?" asked Laine. "Jus' sit on our butts and watch you do all the fun stuff?" 

"If you want to be _helpful_, be my guest," he said. "Just don't expect me to get involved with any mad schemes." 

"We won't," said Aurora, "but I'll decide for myself what's helpful." 

"You always do," Ember muttered. "Very well. I think I've taken all I need from this conversation. Thank you for your time, Leader Sabrina. Stay out of trouble, you two." 

"Are you leaving already?" asked Aurora. 

He hesitated a moment, and the expression that crossed his face made her think for a minute that he might change his mind. Instead, he shook his head. 

"It would accomplish nothing useful," he said. "Don't worry, Winter-hair. I'm seldom as far from you as you might think. Farewell." 

He bowed politely and made his exit. Aurora watched him, frowning. 

"Why does he have to be so _difficult_?" she muttered. 

"He is trying to do what he thinks is right," said Sabrina. "For someone in his position, that is a very complicated proposition." 

"Do _you_ know what's going on in his head?" asked Aurora. 

Sabrina smiled mysteriously. "Yes. And I'm not going to tell. That's his business." 

"Then why are you readin' his mind in the first place?" Laine asked, but quietly. Sabrina probably heard her, or got the gist of it, but she ignored it. 

Aurora sighed. "This whole Psychic thing is way too complicated for me. I'm starting to wish I'd never heard of Psychics!" 

"Yes," said Sabrina. "I am sensing a level of fear from you concerning them... one that does not seem completely connected with the case at hand. If you could explain it to me, perhaps I could put your mind to rest." 

Laine stared at Aurora. "What's that s'posed to mean?" 

"Well..." said Aurora slowly. "I've started to wonder if maybe, somehow... _I_ have the powers. I've been having visions..." She briefly described her fainting fit in Viridian City and some of the disturbing images that had followed. Laine listened with a faintly disgusted look, seeming convinced that all of this was in her imagination. Sabrina, however, listened with calm complacency. 

"Interesting," she said, when all had been told. "Well, let me reassure you. You are not, nor ever will be, a Psychic. However, I will not dispute that you are nevertheless "having true Psychic visions. The answer to your riddle is this: you have a Natu in your team, do you not?" 

"Well, yes," said Aurora. 

"And he was free from his ball when you were fighting the girl in Viridian City. He was free yet again when you fought with Gym Leader Brock. Am I right in guessing he was also out when you had your vision of the man at the stake?" 

"That's right, he was," said Aurora. "Are you telling me this is all Berry's doing?" 

"It is the most logical explanation," Sabrina said. "It's not unheard of, though it's fairly unusual. Berry is a very young Pokemon, isn't he?" 

"Practically just hatched." 

"So he is very young and naive, and something large and frightening is going on, and his Psychic senses are picking up on it. He does not understand them, so he does the only thing he can think of: he passes them on to the trainer he loves and trusts, hoping she'll make sense of them for him." 

"So all this trouble was because of a frightened baby Pokemon?" Aurora asked. 

"It is not trouble, really," said Sabrina. 

"Other than it making me pass out. That hurt!" 

Sabrina looked mildly sheepish. "Other than that. That was only the first time. I'd imagine it was a shock to your system. But you have learned something worth knowing. The image of the man with no face is new to me. It will bear consideration. In the meantime, I'd advise keeping him out a bit more often. You may learn to make use of this ability." 

"I'll give it a try," said Aurora. "Thank you for all your advice, Sabrina. You've been a big help." 

"It has been my pleasure," Sabrina replied. "Your path is still littered with pitfalls, and even I cannot see them all. It may be that you will fail... but it is my belief that you will not. That is not a prediction. That is only the wish in my heart. Nevertheless, perhaps it will give you some comfort. I hope to see you again soon - for more reasons than you yet know." 

"Thank you," said Aurora again. 

*_Thanks!_* another voice chimed in. *_It was interesting!_* 

All eyes turned to Mew, who had manifested himself above the coffee table, and was regarding Sabrina upside down. For the first and only time in their acquaintance, Aurora saw the Gym Leader looking thoroughly surprised. 

~*~

"Whoo-wee!" said Laine, as she and her friends stepped back out onto the lawn in front of the Gym. "Too bad ol' Ember wasn' around to see that! Bet that's the first time anybody's put one over on _her_ since she was knee high to a Caterpie." 

"Do they have knees?" 

"You know what I mean!" said Laine. "So, fearless leader, what're we gonna do now? I mean, if we know the badguy's in the Silver Mountains, ain't much point in goin' anywhere else." 

"We're going to Vermillion City," said Aurora. 

Laine stared at her. "Okay. Why?" 

"Because," she replied, "Ember's taking care of the Psychic - Alistair or whatever his name is. That's not our problem anymore. The big problem now is what's going on in the League. Lapis said there was trouble in Vermillion City, and that's where Lt. Surge is and we _know_ he's trouble, so I want to go down there and see what's going on." 

Laine whistled. "You wanna tangle with him? You're outta your apricorn. He'd chew you up an' spit out." 

Scar squawked a denial - he wouldn't let _anyone_ treat him like that. Aurora appreciated his sentiments, but she wasn't so sure, deep down, that he was right. Her affinity for flying things was sometimes very useful, but when it came to building a balanced team, she was left at something of a disadvantage. Surge was the master of her enemy, Thunder, and she knew she would be nearly defenseless against him. At least she'd had a few tricks she could use against Brock, but only Earth moves were very effective against Electric Pokemon, and she simply didn't have anything capable of using them. Any fight she started with him was likely to end before it was even properly begun. 

"I'll just have to stay out of his way, that's all," she said. "It's not like I'm going out there looking to challenge him. I just want to have a look around, and see what Lapis has to say, that's all. She did say she'd found a useful contact. Maybe she has some information." 

"Whatever!" said Laine, shrugging. "If nothin' else, I'll whip out my Pokemon and pound 'im for ya. It wouln' be the first time I've kicked a Gym Leader's butt." 

Aurora smiled. "Thanks. I might just take you up on that." 

The girls strolled slowly down the streets of the city. It was, despite all the troubles surrounding it, a pleasant place, and Aurora found herself wishing she didn't have to leave. Of course, she had the choice of staying - she had the feeling that Sabrina would make her welcome if she wanted to remain in the city a while - but her conscience wouldn't let her. Ember was probably right about her never getting over the feeling that she could change anything if she just tried hard enough... 

"One thing still bugs me," said Laine. "What happened to that guy in the red suit? Nobody knows anythin' about 'im, not even the Psychics." 

Scar crowed loudly. Laine glared at him. 

"I wasn't talkin' to you," she said. 

"Maybe you should have been," said Aurora. "What is it, Scar?" 

"Fear, fear, fearow, fear!" 

"What's he saying?" asked Laine. 

Aurora didn't answer at once. She was staring up the street, where the neon lights of hotels were glimmering feebly in the strong afternoon sun. A man was standing in front of them, looking at a piece of paper and scowling. Bits of gold and jewels adorned his person, flashing far more brightly than the signs. His long, thin, frowning face had a distinct look of familiarity. Aurora looked at him long enough that Laine stopped glaring at Scar and looked up to follow their gaze. 

"Do you want to know what he says?" Aurora asked. "He says, 'Why don't you ask _him?_'" 

**

To Be Continued...

**


	9. Stage Nine Electric Sparks

**

Stage Nine - Electric Sparks

**   
**

By: SilvorMoon

**

The two girls gave each other puzzled glances, and then looked back up at the lonely figure who was still consulting his map. There were other people on the street, but they passed around him, leaving him several feet of room on all sides. Something about the way he carried himself suggested he might just lash out at the first person who didn't allow him his personal space. Even as the girls were staring in amazement, he folded up his paper, put it in his pocket, and began marching briskly away. 

"Oh, no ya don't!" said Laine. "You aren't sneaking off so easy this time!" 

She broke into a run, dodging through the crowded streets on the trail of the strange young Gym Leader. Aurora shrugged and trailed after her at a more leisurely pace. She didn't have much trouble catching up with them - Laine had snagged Brand by his shirtsleeve and was holding him captive. Brand looked down at Laine, rather as if she was something sticky that had become affixed to his shoe. 

"Oh, it's you again," he said. "Why are you always bothering me? Don't you have anything better to do with your time?" 

"Who says we ain't just happy to see an old familiar face?" Laine drawled. 

"Don't even try it," said Brand. "No one is ever happy to see me, and I personally wouldn't have it any other way. Except..." He trailed off, looking thoughtful. "You would not, in all your roaming about, have happened to have heard some word of my master? For all my searching, he remains elusive. In truth, I'd expected to have heard some word from him by now..." 

"We've developed some suspicions," said Aurora carefully. "The trouble is, they aren't the kind of things we could tell just anyone. We'd have to make sure we could trust you before we told you anything. You have to admit, you don't _act_ very trustworthy." 

Brand scowled, but he didn't seem to be willing to argue on that score. He stared at the sky for a moment, doing some mental calculations. 

"All right, all right," he said. "I'll tell all if you will. But let us at least adjourn to somewhere private. Do you trust me enough to follow me back to my hotel room?" 

Aurora glanced at Scar, who gave a reassuring croak. 

"I think we'll be safe enough," she said. 

"Very well," said Brand briskly. "Follow me." 

He led his followers up the street and around a few corners, pausing from time to time to consult with his map. At last, they found themselves in front of one of the better hotels in the area, a great glossy structure involving uncountable windows and the kind of architecture that's supposed to suggest that the building might have originally come from some romantic locale somewhere overseas. Brand received a salute from the bellhop as they walked by, passing through a stately lobby and stepping into a lavishly appointed elevator that carried them silently upwards. 

They didn't go far. For all the show of grandeur outside, the room Brand was currently inhabiting didn't seem to be anything special, just an economy-size room of the sort frequented by overnight business travelers. Brand ushered them inside as if they were visiting some grand manor. They were somewhat surprised to see the room occupied by a Magmar, who was enjoying a nap in the afternoon sunshine. It got up and chattered at Brand when it heard him approach. 

"Yes, yes, I'm back," he said. "Be a love, Garnet, and get us a cup of tea, would you please?" 

Garnet quacked agreeably and toddled off to find the teapot. While Brand settled himself into a chair, Laine watched curiously as the flaming Pokemon filled the teapot with water and set it to boil with the touch of a hand. 

"I maintain," said Brand to no one in particular, "that there is no one like a Magmar for preparing tea." 

Aurora nodded, keeping her attention fixed on the enigmatic Gym Leader. Not that he was much to look at, she mused, with his narrow face, his blade of a nose, thin lips, and unruly hair. He would have been rather better looking, though, if he hadn't felt the urge to deck himself out like a Christmas tree. He was still dressed in his brilliantly colored clothing, with the crowning touch being a heavily beaded and fringed vest that clicked and rattled as he moved. Aurora also counted a total of four earrings - a ruby stud, a gold hoop, and a spangle of glass beads in one ear, and a heavy amber drop in the other. There were gold bracelets around each wrist, and two different necklaces around his neck. Oddly, he wore only one ring, a simple gold signet on his right hand. It had the letters DF raised on its surface in elaborately curlicued script, with an image of a flame behind them. 

Garnet returned with teacups and passed them around. Brand thanked her politely and ran one of his thin hands over her head in a surprisingly tender gesture. The Magmar whistled happily and waddled off again. 

"Well, so," said Brand. "Would you like to begin, or shall I?" 

"You talk," Laine said. 

"Very well," he replied. He took a long breath and let it out slowly. "I suppose I should begin at the beginning. If I am going to be fully honest, then I should tell you that Brand is not the name I was given at birth. I adopted it when I first came to Kanto, and changed it officially when I became a Gym Leader." 

The girls nodded without comment. It was traditional for a trainer becoming a Gym Leader to temporarily drop their family name as a symbol of their commitment to the League, and many people had been known to change their names entirely when the time came. There were quite a few legends about people who had risen from poverty or even lives of crime who became Gym Leaders and changed their names to lose their pasts and rise to great fame and fortune. Aurora had daydreamed about choosing a new name when her turn came, but she doubted she really would. 

"My _real_ name," he continued, "is Brandon DeForge IV." 

"No _way_!" Laine squeaked. 

Aurora blinked. "You know him?" 

"By reputation," said Laine. "His family owns like the biggest Pokenium mine in the world!" 

"Oh," Aurora said blankly. "What's Pokenium?" 

Laine gave her a withering look. "It's the stuff they make PokeBalls with. And some other stuff. Well, look." 

She fished around in her bag and produced a flat strip of some semitransparent material, similar to mica. She flicked it with a fingernail, and instead of the dull sound Aurora expected, it emitted a high- pitched chime, like that of someone running their finger around the rim of a wineglass. Scar gave a cry, and Garnet the Magmar whistled in dismay. Both their outlines were glowing faintly, as they would have just before they were pulled into a PokeBall. Laine clamped the stone between her hands, and the noise stopped. The Pokemon settled down, though Scar gave Laine a few mistrustful looks. 

"Sorry," said Laine to the Pokemon. "Didn' mean to get you all riled up. Anywho, this stuff is the purified form of the stuff the elemental stones are made of - Fire Stone and Water Stone and all that jazz. It's easier to find in the pure form like this, but we use so much of it makin' PokeBalls an' computer storage an' stuff... well, the DeForges are some of the richest people in the world." 

"Hm," said Aurora. "That explains a lot." 

"Do you mind not interrupting?" said Brand irritably. "Where I grew up, people knew how to _listen_..." 

"Well, sor-_ry!_" said Laine. 

"As I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted... I discovered at an early age that I had a certain gift for Pokemon. I was visiting one of the mines my family owns, and found a young Magby, which I brought home in secret. My parents permitted me to keep it as a pet, but eventually I felt that my destiny was as a trainer. I began starting battles with other people - even the mine workers. My parents caught me at it, and we had a dreadful row. They insisted I give up on Pokemon battles and return to studying how to run the family business. I refused. In the end, I made the decision to leave home and seek my fortune elsewhere. I took Garnet here and what little I could carry and fled to Kanto. 

"As fate would have it, I landed on Cinnabar Island, and as there were few practicing trainers on the island at the time, Gym Leader Blaine was good enough to take me in and make me his Apprentice, despite my relative lack of experience and lack of affinities. He has been more than generous with me. I feel I owe him." 

"I see," said Aurora. "I guess I understand. I know if something happened to Falkner, I'd be going crazy." 

"I'll take your word for it," he said. "Leader Blaine was never much of a people person. Neither am I. We were never very close, but I consider myself a man of honor. He was there for me when I needed his help, and I intend to pay my debt. After that, I'll be more than content to return to Cinnabar with my Pokemon." He gave the girls a searching look. "You've been around a bit, to have made it this far. Have you learned anything, or have you just been collecting souvenirs?" 

"We've picked up a few things," said Laine. 

Brand raised an eyebrow. "Such as?" 

"There's a Psychic named Alistair," said Aurora. "He's got some kind of crazy plan to overthrow the League by picking off trainers one by one and influencing people to panic and revolt. It's starting to work, too. Even now some of the Gym Leaders are trying to get Lance thrown out of office, and everything's all a big mess." 

"Gracious," said Brand. "Is it that bad?" 

Laine rolled her eyes. "Man, what rock have you been under?" 

"It's beneath my position to engage in idle gossip," said Brand, raising his head. 

"Yeah, well, that gossip mighta saved you a lotta trouble. Do you have any idea how stupid it is for a lone Gym Leader to be wandering around the countryside right now? You'd have been a sittin' Farfetch'd out there, if that kooky Psychic had taken a notion to off ya." 

"Point taken," said Brand. "Well, I suppose I'll have to take that into account. After all, I am the last of the deForge line, and it behooves me to practice a certain amount of self-preservation. I'll have to see if perhaps I can acquire a traveling companion..." 

"Where were you planning to go next?" asked Aurora. 

"To Vermillion City," he answered promptly. "I've searched everywhere I can think of to search, and in light of what you say, I'm beginning to believe I'd be better off at home. I intent to catch the next ship back to Cinnabar Island and return to my Gym." 

"We're headed that way," said Aurora. "We have a friend in Vermillion City we plan to meet. You can follow us, if you like." 

"Aw, no!" Laine wailed. "We're not gonna travel with _him_!" 

"Why not?" asked Aurora. "It will be safer that way - for us _and_ him. After all, he is a Gym Leader, wandering around alone. Can you imagine what would happen if something were to happen to him? If you think things are bad now, just wait until it gets out that not even a Gym Leader is safe..." 

Laine slumped. "All right, all right, I see your point. But why d'ya have to go and invite him to come with _us_? Let him hire an escort or somethin'. He looks like he can afford it." 

Brand colored, two spots of red appearing on his pale cheeks. 

"I'm afraid you're overestimating me," he said. "I have yet to inherit the family fortune. I left home with only what I could carry." He fingered the fringe of his vest. "The only fortune I have is what I'm wearing, and what is allotted to me because of my position as a Gym Leader." 

"Sell something," said Laine unsympathetically. 

Aurora laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Laine. Be reasonable." 

Laine looked at her, and Aurora met her gaze steadily. Truth to be told, she had discovered she felt a little sorry for Brand, still stubbornly clinging to his pride and his past. In some ways, he reminded her just a little of Ember. Laine sighed. 

"I guess I can stand him for a little while," Laine said grumpily. "It's not _that_ far to Vermillion City. But don't expect me to be nice to him!" 

"Nor I to her," said Brand. "She's been rude too many times to me already for me to start wanting to be polite now." 

Aurora sighed. "Fine, be that way. So, are you coming or not?" 

"I will," he answered. "Since you made the offer, I suppose it would be ungracious to refuse." 

"Oh, yeah, and you'd never sink _that_ low," Laine muttered. 

"I heard that!" 

"You were s'posed to." 

Aurora just shook her head, thinking that this was going to be a little more complicated than she'd thought.

* * *

Thankfully, getting from Saffron City to Vermillion City wasn't all that difficult. Getting _anywhere_ from Saffron City wasn't that difficult, really - it was the hub of Kanto, and its roads spread in all directions. Since Vermillion City was a thriving metropolis in itself, the road between it and Saffron was wide, straight, and short. This was good, because Aurora thought she might strip a thread if she had to spend any more time on this trip than she had to. 

Laine, true to her nature, was stubbornly refusing to have anything to do with the new addition to their party. Instead, she had taken a pair of headphones from somewhere and slipped them on. Aurora could still hear bursts of music issuing from them, and from time to time Laine would sing a few bars, probably more loudly than she realized. Every time she did this, Brand would look pained, and Scar would croak his objections. 

Brand himself was keeping to the rear of the group, looking as if he wanted to make sure the rest of the world knew he didn't really belong with these strange little girls. Aurora glanced back at him, as he ambled along with practiced carelessness, with his jewelry and beads clinking softly. His eyes were fixed on the clouds, or perhaps beyond them, making it clear to the world in general that he wanted nothing to do with it. Aurora sighed, thinking she'd liked it best when her companions had been a bit more companionable. 

_Did I make the right choice?_ she mused. 

_I think so, anyway. That is something, isn't it?_

Aurora jumped; as so often happened, she'd forgotten about Mew. She looked around, in case he'd decided to show himself, but the air was empty. 

"What are you staring at?" Brand snapped. "Or are you being bothered by flies?' 

"I just thought I heard something," said Aurora. That was probably true, in the most literal sense; she certainly wasn't really hearing anything when Mew communicated with her, but that was how her brain interpreted it. Inside her mind, she felt Mew's laughter at her thoughts. 

"I'm beginning to take you as an alarmist," he said, waving one of his hands in a dismissive sweep. "Kindly don't spread your paranoia to me." 

"Don't worry, I won't let it bother you," she muttered. She rather doubted Mew was about to let himself be seen again, shy as he was. Then again, it was hard to tell _what_ he would do next. 

_Why do you think I made a good choice?_ she asked. _All he's done since he joined us is complain._

_You invited him along out of kindness,_ said Mew. _How can that be bad? Besides, I sense that he may be useful._

_What use do we have for him?_

_I don't know. Maybe none, just yet. Maybe none that you'll ever see. It may be that just his presence here will avert something that would have been a problem otherwise. Anyway, I think he's interesting._

That seemed to settle the matter, in Mew's mind. There was an underlying tenor to his thoughts that suggested that, to such an ancient Pokemon, being bored was among the greatest of all difficulties, and he welcomed anything that amused him. After all, all problems solved themselves eventually, but boredom could go on forever... 

Well, at least Aurora could use her time productively. She went through her pockets and took out one of her Pokeballs, flipping it open with a practiced flick of the wrist. Blabberbeak the Murkrow appeared, cawing his delight at being freed again. Brand paled a little. 

"Do you have to flash that around?" he said. "Don't you know Murkrows are the worst of bad luck?" 

"Nah," said Laine. "That's just a stuporstition." 

He gave her a lofty glare. "I believe you mean a superstition." 

"I mean what I say," said Laine. "You'd have to be livin' in a stupor to believe some of these stupid superstitions!" 

"Blabberbeak is a very useful Pokemon," said Aurora. "And right now, he's going to make himself useful. Blabberbeak, do you think you could fly on down to Vermillion City for us and have a look around for Lapis?" 

"Murk, murk," he said, eyes glinting. Aurora nodded, satisfied. If he'd disagreed even the slightest bit, he would have let her know it. 

"Good," she said. "Find her and let her know we're on our way." 

"Murkrow!" he said, and flapped off into the sky, shedding several ragged black feathers. Scar watched him go, muttering to himself. 

"Oh, don't start complaining again," said Aurora. "Of course I can't send you. You stand out too much, and everyone knows you belong to me. We're trying to keep a low profile." 

"Then ya shoulda sent Grandwing again," Laine said. "Pidgeottos are common enough around here, but when was the last time ya saw a wild Murkrow runnin' around, huh?" 

Aurora pondered. "I don't think I've ever seen one." 

"Well, there ya go!" 

Brand gave Aurora a quizzical look. "I suppose you mean, you've never seen one except for that one?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Blabberbeak wasn't exactly wild when I got him," said Aurora. "He used to belong to the Rockets. That accounts for his attitude. And his vocabulary." 

"The Rockets?" Brand repeated. "You mean it's true what they say about you? That you actually sympathize with them?" 

Aurora looked at him for a long time. 

"Yes," she said finally. "Actually, I've been thinking you remind me, in some ways, of their leader." 

Brand colored brilliantly and did not bring the subject up again. After that point, except for Scar's muttering and Laine's CD player, all was blissfully silent. 

At least, it was silent until Blabberbeak made his return. The group had been walking along more or less peacefully, except for Laine, who had run out of batteries for her music machine and was having trouble believing she didn't have more somewhere. She rummaged though her pockets, dredging up PokeBall parts, rolls of film, a small magnifying glass, more pens and pencils than she could possibly need, scraps of paper, and assorted other debris. Brand tried not to look too interested as she continued to pull things from her pockets and discard them again. She dropped a handful of Apricorn shells, growled in annoyance, and bent to pick them up. As she did so, a shadow fell over her, and a moment later, something landed on her back. 

"What the heck?" Laine yelped. 

"Wouldn't you like to know?" 

Aurora giggled. "It's just Blabberbeak. Nothing to worry about." 

"Well, get him off my back!" Laine said. She attempted to shoo him away, but she couldn't reach him properly. When she attempted to stand up, he dug in his claws and hung on, laughing his raspy laugh. 

"Blabberbeak, you naughty bird, let go!" Aurora scolded. 

The bird muttered a bit, but Scar hissed at him, so he finally flapped down to the ground to sit at Aurora's feet. 

"So, did you find out anything?" she asked him. 

Blabberbeak made a raspy noise - it sounded for all the world as if he were clearing his throat. Then, he proceeded to amaze everyone by breaking into an uncannily accurate imitation of Lapis's voice. 

"Hey, Aurora! Listen - you'd better watch your step if you come into Vermillion City right now. Surge is in a bad mood right now, and I have no idea what he'll do if he finds you here. Can you meet me at the Spark Plug restaurant by five o'clock? If you don't send word, I'll assume you're coming." 

Blabberbeak finished speaking and ruffled his feathers, looking pleased with himself. The humans stared. 

"Did I know he could do that?" Aurora said. 

Laine shrugged. "If ya did, ya never told me." 

"Interesting," said Brand grudgingly. 

Aurora patted Blabberbeak on the head. "Good bird! I owe you another one. That's enough, now - in you go!" 

She reopened his PokeBall, and Blabberbeak jumped in, ready to rest from his journey. Aurora clipped the ball back in place. 

"Does anybody have the time?" she asked. 

"Yeah, but not the inclination," Laine muttered. She glanced at her watch. "It happens to be three fourty-seven by my watch. We'd better get crackin' if we wanna get to Vermillion City in time." 

"Must we?" said Brand. "I'm not accustomed to this mode of travel." He grimaced and shifted his feet; his lovely leather boots were hardly meant for walking. 

Laine glared at him. "Have you got a better idea?" 

He considered a moment. Then he shrugged and began reaching into a pocket. "Well, since I seem to have fallen in with thieves already, I suppose a little more lawbreaking couldn't hurt." 

"What do you mean?" said Laine, bristling at being called a thief. 

"I mean, it is not exactly lawful to travel with Pokemon these days," he said. "However, since your partners have had ample opportunity to show off, I do believe it is my turn." 

Aurora gave him a quizzical look. 

A few minutes later, she knew exactly what Brand had been getting at, and she didn't like it one bit. 

"Ohhh, help," she wailed, clinging tightly to the neck of the Ponyta she was riding. 

"What's the problem?" said Laine, who was riding on the back of a large Growlithe. "This is fun!" 

"But it goes so _fast_!" Aurora complained. "I'm going to fall off!" 

"You won't fall off," said Brand. He was riding on the stately Rapidash that Aurora had battled the first time they'd met, and he looked quite at ease riding bareback on a flaming Pokemon. "Jacinth is a very placid riding Pokemon. She won't let you fall." 

"I don' see what the problem is," said Laine. "You ride your birds all the time an' it doesn' bug ya. At least this is closer to the ground!" 

"But this is _bumpy,_" Aurora protested. 

"It wouldn't be if you'd sit up properly," said Brand. "Honestly, I think you had no upbringing at all." 

Aurora said nothing and concentrated on not being thrown off the back of the fast moving animal. Behind her, she felt an invisible presence settle itself against her back. It seemed that Mew had gotten tired of flying and had decided to try this strange new mode of transportation instead. 

_I hope you're liking this better than I am!_ she thought to him. 

The only reply she got back was: _Wheeeeeeeeee!_

* * *

A little over an hour later, the little group came to a halt a short distance outside the Vermillion City limits. Aurora slid shakily off of the Ponyta's back, lost her balance, and fell to the ground with a bump. Scar gave a crow of concern and fluttered to her side, tugging at her clothing in an attempt to help her up. She rose slowly; her legs were still trembling from nerves. The Ponyta, puzzled by her reaction, nuzzled at her. 

"Jacinth wants to know what's wrong," Brand translated offhandedly. 

"Nothing is wrong," said Aurora. Under her breath, she added, "I just wanted to kiss the ground." 

"You are ungrateful," said Brand. "It isn't every day I let someone borrow my Pokemon. Ah, well, I think you've enjoyed them enough." He produced his PokeBalls and began re-collecting his partners, so abruptly that Laine almost didn't have time to climb off her Arcanine before it was pulled out from under her. Brand shut the Balls with a satisfied snap. 

"Well, thanks a lot," Laine muttered. 

"I suppose you're welcome," said Brand. "And now that we're within the limits of civilization, I don't believe we need to endure any more of each other's company. I am off to purchase tickets for the next ship back to Cinnabar. Farewell." 

He gave them an elegant wave - rather as if he were brushing away something that blocked his path - and strode off in the direction of the city. 

"Well, I'm sure glad _he's_ gone," Laine said. "I bet he's gotta have double doors in his house just to make room for his ego." 

Aurora just shrugged. "He's gone now... and at least we got here sooner than we would have otherwise. Look, it's barely after four. I wonder if Lapis is waiting for us yet?" 

"She said to meet her at the Spark Plug _by_ five," said Laine. "I guess that means she planned to get there early." 

"Well, she might have to wait a little while, anyway," Aurora said. "I have no idea where the Spark Plug even is - it might take us an hour to find it." 

Laine grinned. "No, it won't. _You_ may not know where it is, but _I_ do. My dad usta bring me down here a lot when I was a kid. He'd got have his fancy-pants parties with the local Pokemon experts, an' then he'd take me to the Spark Plug for ice cream afterwards. 'Course, I was just six or seven years old, then, but I still remember pretty much where it is." 

"I should have known," said Aurora. "Is there anywhere you _haven't_ been?" 

"Oh, sure," said Laine. "Lotsa places. That's why I've gotta keep movin'." 

They picked their way into the city. It wasn't as easy as it should have been - they _did_ have their permission slips from Lance, but Aurora and Laine doubted that they'd do any good in a city where Lt. Surge was in charge. In the end, Aurora had to coax Scar inside his PokeBall, with him complaining all the way. With their PokeBalls tucked away out of sight, the girls were able to pass themselves off as tourists and fall in with a group of foreign sightseers who had been day-tripping in Saffron City. Once they were beyond the gate, the girls were able to move more freely through the city. 

As a matter of fact, Aurora thought, they moved a little _too_ freely. It was a good thing Laine had a rough idea where they were going, because it was doubtful the girls could have asked anyone for directions. Though the city should have been booming, there was hardly anyone around. Most of those people they did see were tourists, who were wandering around as if they thought they were in the wrong place. A few people looked like they might have been native to the seaside city, but these moved around quickly with their heads down, trying to get wherever they were going as quickly as possible. There were also too many military-looking people around for Aurora's peace of mind. She found herself trying to hide herself whenever these passing by, running an uneasy hand over her hair as if trying to cover it up. Laine glared at her. 

"What's eatin' you?" she asked. 

"This feels wrong," Aurora complained. "Everything is so empty..." 

Laine shrugged. "Ya knew Surge was up to mischief before we got here. Why worry now?" 

Aurora didn't think that was a very good answer, but she reassured herself that Mew was probably still hovering around somewhere, invisible. He wouldn't let anything _too_ unpleasant happen to her. 

The girls found their way to the Spark Plug, which turned out to be a large restaurant with a patio out front where customers could sip their drinks in the warmth of the sun. At the moment, all the outside tables were empty, but things looked rather better inside. An assortment of teenagers, most of whom looked to be young trainers, some accompanied by small Pokemon, trying to pass the time while they couldn't go out and battle. Sitting in one of the darkest corners was a blue-haired girl who was keeping a sharp eye on the entrance of the restaurant. When she saw her friends, Lapis rushed up to greet them. 

"You're early!" she said. "I wasn't expecting you just yet. Come on - there's someone you just have to meet." 

"Who?" asked Aurora. 

"My new friend," Lapis answered. "His name is Rodney - he's very nice!" 

She seized each girl by one arm and began dragging them to the booth where she'd been stationed. At the moment, it was occupied by a boy in his late teens, accompanied by a Pikachu. The boy was dressed in a khaki uniform of some sort, with his name embroidered across one pocket and a lightning bolt patch on each arm. He had a square, good-natured face, sprinkled heavily with freckles, and his dusty blonde hair was clipped military-short. He turned hazel eyes to the girls and smiled at them. 

"So, these are the famous travelers," he said, offering a calloused hand to shake. "The name's Rod. This here's Jumper." He tilted his head in the direction of the Pikachu. 

Aurora shook Rod's hand, and then stepped aside so that Laine could do the same. 

"Rodney is Lt. Surge's apprentice," said Lapis informatively. 

Laine dropped his hand as if she'd been electrocuted. 

"He's what?" she exclaimed. "And you want us to talk to _him_?" 

"Keep it down!" he hissed. "I'm trying to keep a low profile. I've gone AWOL, see, and Surge is bound to be looking for me." 

"AWOL?" Aurora repeated, puzzled. She slid into a seat at the booth, while Laine plopped down next to her. Lapis took her place next to Rod. 

"Absent without leave," Rod explained. "I've gotten used to talking like a soldier. I mean, I walked out of the job a few days ago. Couldn't take it anymore. Neither could Jumper." He patted his Pikachu on the head. "Surge has always been a little rough around the edges, but lately he's been downright unreasonable. I don't like his new ideas. It's not what I joined the league for, see. And then I ran into Lapis, here, and she filled me in on some of what's been going on. It's a different story than what Surge tells, that's for sure!" 

"He's been very helpful," said Lapis. "He's told me a lot of what Surge has been planning. He and some of the others are trying to put Lance out of office and set up a new Champion of their own choosing. We're talking about the kind of takeover that hasn't been seen in over a hundred years! They want to skip over the Championship trials and put in a new Champion by force alone." 

"Skip the trials?" Aurora repeated. It was the kind of thing that never would have entered into her mind. Every potential Reigning Champion had to undergo a week-long series of rigorous trials to prove his or her suitability for the position. The trial had been considered necessary to demonstrate that a Champion had what it took to rule the League - not only in terms of power, but in their ability to use power wisely, choose their battles, and manage their followers. More often than not, applicants to the position failed, and it sometimes took months or even years to settle on a new Champion. Simply shoving someone into such a demanding post seemed to Aurora like insanity. 

Rod nodded. "It's getting pretty ugly. That's why I walked out, three days ago. I wanted to be a Gym Leader, but not like this." 

"If this keeps up, there won't be any Gym Leaders left," Aurora said. "The League will pull itself apart, if they can't settle on a Champion." 

"So what are we going to do about it? That's what I want to know," said Rod. "Lapis said you might have some answers." 

Aurora opened her mouth to answer, and then closed it again. She looked around. Most of the other people in the restaurant were intent on their own conversations and were paying no attention to the foursome sitting in the corner. A young man wandered in the front door, looked around, and left again. The girl at the counter was polishing glasses and looking bored. There didn't seem to be any immediate threats. 

"Well," she said, "it's like this..." 

Speaking quietly, she and Laine filled their friends in on what they had learned lately, making sure to mention Ember's role in the proceedings. Rod listened with considerable interest, and his Pikachu shot off sparks from time to time to express its excitement. The young apprentice had heard very little of what had gone on at the meeting in Palette Town, and was familiar with Ember only by his reputation as a Gym Leader. His relation to Team Rocket was still a secret from the general public, and explaining how the two could manage to work together took quite a bit of explaining. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't time for it all. In the middle of the conversation, the door was flung open with a crash that made everyone in the building jump. The girl at the counter dropped her glass without bothering to watch as it bounced several times before falling to the floor and smashing. All eyes were fixed on the man in the doorway. 

"So," he said, swaggering into the room, "_this_ is where you've been." 

"Lt. Surge, sir!" said Rod, snapping to attention. 

"Don't you 'sir' me, boy!" Surge barked. "You've been gone three days, without one word about where you've been, and this is where I find you! What do you have to say for yourself, huh?" 

Rod hung his head and said nothing. Surge reached out with one powerful hand, jerked him from his seat, and shook him. Lapis gave a cry. 

"You look at me when I'm talking to you!" Surge barked. "Answer! Why have you been goofing off all this time, huh?" 

"I haven't been goofing off, Lt. Surge, sir," said Rod. 

"I don't like that tone of voice," Surge said. "You got a problem or something, boy?" 

"Yes, I do," said Rod. 

"I thought so," snarled the Gym Leader. "Uppity kids, think they know everything..." His eyes narrowed, as he suddenly caught sight of who his apprentice's companions had been. "I should have known! You've been listening to these people, haven't you? Yes, girly, I remember you." 

Suddenly, he let go of Rod and turned his attention to Aurora. She tried instinctively to get away, but there was nowhere to escape to, and besides, before she could move, he had latched on to her braid. She squealed and wished fervently that she'd been a little less vain about her hair. She had no choice to get to her feet and be dragged to the center of the room for all to see. Scar gave a shriek of rage and tried to peck at the human who was assaulting his partner, but a well-aimed kick from Surge's heavy boots made him think twice. He retreated, hissing. In the open air, it would have been a different story, but there was no room for him to maneuver inside. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Aurora demanded. "You get your hands off of me!" 

"Who's going to stop me?" Surge retorted. "I haven't forgotten the last time I saw you. You're that girl who favors the Rockets." 

Aurora jerked at her braid and managed to free it. "I don't see why I shouldn't. They have _much_ better manners than you do - and they don't pull my hair." 

"Ha, ha, real cute. What do you think you're doing out here? It's forbidden for trainers to be traveling these days, you know." 

"I have permission," she said. She reached in her pocket and produced her permission slip. "See? Lance gave me this. It's to let me go anywhere I want, and _you_ can't stop me!" 

Surge snatched the paper out of her hand, studied it a moment, and then crumpled it into a ball. Aurora yelped it as he threw it away. 

"Worthless," he snapped. "Probably a forgery from that Rocket friend of yours! Besides, I don't take orders from Lance these days, little missy." 

"Oh, yeah?" Laine drawled. "Sounded to me like you were takin' orders from him a minute ago. You sure as heck weren't the one who made that rule 'bout travelin' trainers." 

Surge looked startled for a moment. Then he relaxed and gave her a superior grin. 

"That's where you're wrong," he said. "This is my town, and I say I don't like outsiders wandering in and out - especially people I don't trust. That means you." He glared back at Aurora. She glared back at him. 

"I hate to break it to you," she said, "but you don't have that kind of authority. I'm an apprentice Gym Leader, and I know all the laws about what a Gym Leader can and can't do. Deciding who comes into your city and who doesn't isn't in your territory. You only have power over Gym dealings." 

"That's the way it used to be," he said. "Things are changing. Used to be a Gym Leader was ruler of his town. Nobody ever told him what to do. Some of us are thinking the League has been losing power over the years, and it's time we took some back." 

"So that's what this is all about," Aurora muttered. "You don't care at all about stopping all this, do you? You're just looking to use this as an excuse to raise your own status?" 

"Sure I care," he said. "I just don't see why I can't kill two birds with one stone." Scar hissed at him, feathers bristling. "We can stop a murderer _and_ make some improvements on the League... and I don't see why a baby Bird Keeper is going to stop me. You _do_ think you're going to, don't you?" 

She glowered at him. It was plain from his tone of voice and expression that he was baiting her, and she wasn't about to put up with that. 

"Answer me!" he ordered. "Do you want to challenge me or not?" 

"I won't fight you!" she cried, backing away from him. He followed her, and she tried not to cringe. Too late, she was realizing what he wanted: he was going to bully her into a Pokemon battle, whether she wanted one or not. Once they started fighting, it was obvious who was going to win - outside of a registered Gym Battle, Surge was free to use the most powerful Pokemon in his arsenal, and even Aurora's best partners wouldn't be able to stand up to the type-advantage. He was going to use her as an example, to show everyone what would happen to people who stood up to him. She cast about desperately for some kind of escape route, but Surge was positioned between her and the door. He bore down on her, grinning. 

"That's more like it," he said. "You might talk like Lance is all big and bad, but you know who the authority around here really is, don't you? Huh, I knew you wouldn't _really_ stand up for him..." 

Aurora bristled. As if this was really about Lance! Even though she knew the battle was a foregone conclusion, standing there listening to that kind of talk was almost more than she could stand. 

_Maybe I can do it. We stood up to Brock and nearly won, and he was battling all-out, with a type advantage! If we could do it, it would be a real blow to this blowhard..._

"Fear! Fear, fearow, fearow!" Scar crowed. 

"You want to fight him, too?" Aurora asked. "He's not going to be easy, you know." 

"Fearow, fearow, fearow!" The great bird clawed at the floor and clacked his beak, keeping his good eye fixed on Lt. Surge. 

"Well, then," she said. She took a deep breath and faced the Gym Leader. "If he's willing, then so am I." 

"Rora, that's crazy!" Laine exclaimed. "You're gonna get pounded." 

"Better that than stand here and let myself be insulted," said Aurora. She turned back to Surge. "You've insulted our Champion, and you've insulted me. Enough is enough. I say we settle this with a battle." 

Surge eyed her with a look of surprise for a moment. Then he grinned. "You've got more guts than I thought! Guts, but no brains. All right, challenge accepted. Let's take this outside." 

He marched out of the building, while Aurora simply stood numbly, struggling with her emotions. Laine, Lapis, and Rod came up to join her, all of them wearing very grave expressions. 

"You shouldn't have done that," said Rod. "He's going to tear you apart." 

Aurora shook her head. "I know. But I have to try something." 

"You always have to try something," Laine accused. "You oughta know by now when there's somethin' too big for you to tackle." 

"Well, I can't get out of it now," Aurora sighed. "I made the challenge. My word is my bond. Any advice?" 

Rod shrugged. "Just... be careful. He likes physical attacks as much as special ones. He's going to hit you hard either way. Are you sure you can't get out of this? I know there's a clause in the rules of engagement that says something about how it's illegal to demand a match with someone whose Pokemon aren't fit to fight..." 

"My Pokemon are fit to fight. They're healthy; they just don't have an advantage," said Aurora tiredly. "Just... wish me luck, okay?" 

The others just nodded silently. Aurora sighed. 

"Come on, Scar," she said, and walked wearily out the door. 

Surge was waiting for them out in the street. A crowd of spectators had gathered around, and Aurora eyed them, trying to catch a glimpse of how the rest of the world felt about this. The predominant expression was one of worry; this was obviously just one more of the crazy things that had been happening to them recently. They were oddly quiet. 

"There you are. What took you so long?" Surge demanded. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Get in position and let's get this thing rolling!" 

Aurora nodded, her mouth as dry as the dusty street. Scar ruffled his feathers and shifted from foot to foot. Surge grinned again. 

"All right, let's do it!" he said. "Magneton, go!" 

The trifold Pokemon appeared, giving off a menacing static buzz as its three eyes sized Scar up. Aurora stared back at it, thinking, _This is so not good._

The best thing that could be said about the battle was that it was over quickly. Aurora's Pokemon had done their best, throwing up Sand Attacks and Smokescreens in a vain attempt to hide from Surge's devastating lightning attacks, but they couldn't elude him forever. One by one, they fell unconscious and crashed to dusty streets. Aurora bit her lip as she called Rusty's unmoving form back to its PokeBall, battling with herself as she struggled not to cry. Surge laughed. The sound echoed oddly in the silent streets; the spectators were strangely unexcited, and if anything seemed less at ease than ever. Surge strode forward to sneer down at here. 

"Well, little missy, you put up a better fight than I thought you would," he said, "but we both knew all along who would win. Hand over your forfeit, girl." 

Aurora's lip trembled as she went through her things and began counting out her money. He snatched it out of her hand without ever taking his eyes off hers. 

"Maybe that will teach you a lesson," he said. "You don't stand up to people who are stronger than you are, girlie. And don't put your trust in your precious Lance to save you when you've bitten off more than you can chew." 

"Actually, she has no need to bother Lance with little things like this," a voice cut in. "In fact, I see no need to get him involved at all." 

Everyone looked up - the crowd in surprise, Surge in confusion, and Aurora in shock that mutated swiftly into anger. Ember had just come strolling casually out of a back alley, looking for all the world as if he thought he were a tourist there to admire the view. His clothing gave him away, though. One could always tell what role Ember was playing by the costume he wore, and today he was in the form-fitting black and violet that meant he was here in his capacity as Dragon Master of Johto. 

"You!" Surge snarled. "You have a lot of gall, showing your face out here!" 

"Hm," said Ember. "That's an interesting thing for you to say. It seems to me that _I'm_ not the one who's plotting a revoltuion... not to mention picking fights with helpless young ladies. No, I just heard some nasty rumors and just came to see whether they were true. Unfortunately, it seems they were right. You're getting up to mischeif, Surge, and that's not good. Don't think that just because Lance isn't here in person doesn't mean he'll never know what you're up to?" 

"Oh, yeah? Well, what's he going to do about it?" said Surge. 

"Him? He's not going to do anything. He has other, more important matters on his mind. No, I think I'm more than a match for you. He's been training me for the last three years now, teaching me everything he knows. I'm as close to him as you need to get." 

"I'll cream you just like I did the girl!" Surge snapped. "Scum like you doesn't stand a chance." 

"Fine," said Ember. "You've slandered my teacher, conspired against the League, insulted me, and made a spectacle of my friends. That does not sit well with me. For the honor of the League and of the true Champion, I declare a Pokemon battle." 

"I accept," Surge declared. "That battle with the girl was just a warm-up. Now you'll see what I'm really made of!" 

"Of course. Choose your first Pokemon." 

Once again, Surge responded by releasing his Magneton. Aurora's Pokemon had scarcely dented its steely structure, and now it looked around eagerly for another enemy. Ember watched it calmly. 

"You think that will stop me?" he asked scornfully. "I don't even need my best Pokemon for that. Go, Dragonair!" 

The Dragonair appeared, coiling itself defensively as it sized up its opponent. The Magneton backed off, looking slightly put off. Fighting birds was one thing, but Dragon Pokemon had few weaknesses. 

"Fire Blast!" Ember ordered. 

The Dragon spat out a blast of flame so hot that the people lining the streets were forced to back away. It instantly enveloped the opposing Pokemon, whose steel outsides conducted the heat until it glowed red-hot. It squealed in pain and passed out, hitting the ground with a heavy metal _clunk._ Surge withdrew the Pokemon, looking livid, and began choosing his next Pokemon. 

Despite her annoyance with Ember, Aurora found herself grudgingly admiring his battle style. She hadn't had the opportunity to see him in a real fight for years, and had not personally fought him since one abortive battle at the Ecruteak City limits. She had not been sure she could beat him then; she was sure she couldn't beat him now. Most of his Pokemon had at least a slight type-disadvantage, having Water or Flying in their natures, and he was still barely taking any damage at all. While Surge grew more and more frustrated as his Pokemon were repeatedly sent back to him, Ember remained calm, issuing confident orders that were carried out flawlessly. Obviously he had improved a great deal under Lance's tutelage. 

_He might really be a Champion someday,_ she thought, watching as his Aerodactyl finished a strike against Surge's Jolteon. The Electric Pokemon gave a squeak and collapsed. Both players withdrew their Pokemon and eyed each other warily. Surge had taken out Ember's first Dragonair and his Gyarados, but Ember had eliminated not only the Jolteon and the Magneton, but a Raichu, an Electabuzz, and an Electrode. Surge was down to his last useable Pokemon and looking none too happy about it. 

"Last round," said Ember. There was no trace of emotion in his face or voice; he may as well have been playing the game to pass the time. "I hope you have a surprise for me, or this will have been very dull." 

Surge snarled and opened the last Pokeball. An Ampharos burst forward, giving a trumpetlike call. Ember nodded slightly. 

"Charizard, go!" 

The flaming lizard appeared in a flash of orange light, and Surge grinned. 

"Got you now!" he said. "Ampharos, lock on!" 

"Charizard, dig!" 

Obediently, the Charizard took to the earth, throwing up sprays of dirt as it burrowed beneath the street. The Ampharos blinked in surprise as its target vanished from sight. A moment later, it was crying out in alarm as the ground burst beneath it, throwing it into the air. It hit the street again with a solid thud, while the Charizard scrambled back out of its tunnel, shaking crumbs of earth from its back. It sized up its opponent carefully, waiting for it to attack, but obviously it had had enough. It gave a final groan and fainted. The Charizard gave a victory roar that was cut short, as his trainer withdrew him. Ember shut the PokeBall calmly and gave Surge a level stare. 

"You seem to have lost," he said quietly. 

Surge panted in fury. Finally, he managed, "You - you cheated! You had to have cheated!" 

"I did not cheat," said Ember. "I didn't need to cheat. I could have if I'd wanted to, though. If I'd wanted to cheat, I could have used this." 

He took out an odd-looking PokeBall and flicked it open. Several people cried out in surprise as a lithe green Pokemon manifested itself in the middle of the street. It turned its bulging eyes this way and that as it took in the unfamiliar scenery. 

"What in blazes is that?" Surge exclaimed, taking an involuntary step away from it. 

"This is a Flygon," said Ember. "A Ground/Dragon type native to the Hoenn region. Lance paid a fraternal visit to Reigning Champion Steven over the summer, and I was allowed to come along. Their local Dragon Master, Drake, gave me this as a gesture of respect." 

Surge glared at the strange dragon, which simply blinked benignly at him. 

"A Ground/Dragon," he muttered. "I'd sure like to grind a few of your dragons right now... but I guess you win." 

"I do," said Ember. "And if I can beat you this easily, have a thought for what my teacher could do to you. Maybe that will curb your rebellious tendancies." 

Surge muttered something inaudible. 

"What was that?" said Ember. 

"I guess you'll be wanting your forfeit, now?" said Surge in a more normal tone of voice. He began reaching for his moneypouch. 

"I'm not interested in your money," said Ember. "You can pay me back in information. This behavior is unlike you, and I think there's more to this than meets the eye. Who put you up to this?" 

Surge gaped, and then lowered his eyes. 

"Tell," said Ember. "You're in trouble anyway, so you might as well tell all." When Surge continued to hesitate, he added, "I'll find out anyway, you know. I'm just tired of this, and I want to hurry up and get it over with." 

Surge met his gaze a moment, then looked away. 

"All right, all right," he muttered. "It's Koga." 

"Why am I not surprised?" Ember muttered. 

"Why should you be?" Surge snapped. "He's been in this league for years. He fought his way up to the Elite Four, and now some upstart _kid_-" He spat in Ember's direction. "-is fixing to move in and become Champion. He's not the only one who's hacked off." 

"Fine," said Ember sourly. "I'm more than a little used to it, as you may or may not have guessed. _If_ I achieve my Championship and _if_ I am nominated as Reigning Champion and _if_ I decide I really want to go through weeks of arduous testing for the privilege of taking on the hardest job in the world, then he is more than welcome to come challenge me at the finals. That's what they're for. If you don't like me, come to me and tell me so, and we can settle it however we decide is best. But don't go throwing all of Kanto into chaos just because you don't like me!" 

He turned on his heel and began to walk off. He stopped and turned back. 

"And give that girl back her forfeit money, or I'll have you reported for challenging with intent to cause injury, on top of everything else. I won't have any shortage of witnesses." 

Surge looked around at all the spectators he'd gathered, gave a snarl of frustration, and flung a handful of coins at Aurora before stalking off. Ember went to stand with Aurora and her friends, who had come to stand next to her. 

"Don't you go glaring at me, either," he said to her. "I am in a bad enough mood already without you looking daggers at me, too. Let me see your Pokemon for a minute." 

"What are you going to do?" she asked suspiciously. 

Ember rolled his eyes. "I'm taking up juggling. Honestly, what do you think? I'm going to heal them for you. Is that a crime, too, now?" 

Aurora decided her complaints were going to have to wait. For one thing, this was shaping up to become a shouting match any minute, and if she was going to have one, she didn't want to have it in the middle of a street. For another, her Pokemon's welfare came first. She handed over her PokeBalls. 

In response, Ember took out a small bag, not much bigger than his thumb, made of soft red leather. He opened it carefully, took a critical look at the bottom, and took out a tiny pinch of fine gray powder, which he scattered over the PokeBalls. Then he handed them back. Surprised, Aurora checked her PokeGear and discovered that all her partners were now back at full strength. She released Scar from captivity, who burst out crowing blue murder; he _hated_ losing battles, and was letting Aurora know in no uncertain terms what he thought of it all. 

"You be quiet, too," said Ember. "I've heard enough complaints for one day." 

"What was that?" Aurora asked. 

Ember returned the bag to his PokeGear. "Sacred Ash. Most powerful restorative known to man. Don't ask me where I got it, and we'll both be a lot happier." 

"You didn't get it illegally, did you?" she asked. 

"Not exactly," said Ember, "but it was a lot of trouble nonetheless. Let's just say I don't want to talk about how expensive it was." 

"Speaking of which," Aurora said, "I want to have a word with you. In private." She shot a look at Laine, who decided now would be a good time to go back to listening to her CD player. When Lapis and Rod looked uncertain, Laine latched on to their arms and began dragging them forcibly back into the restaurant. 

"What is there to talk about?" said Ember. 

"A lot. Come on." 

Before he could object any more, Aurora caught his wrist and started dragging him down a side street. When she deemed they were far enough away from prying eyes and ears, she turned on him with an expression that would have made a rampaging Rhydon think twice about bothering her. 

"All right," she said, "just what did you think you were doing out there?" 

"I thought that would be obvious," Ember answered. "I was digging you out of another of your little messes, as usual." 

"As usual! And how many times have I had to come to _your_ rescue, hm?" she demanded. "Look, I didn't _need_ you to play knight in shining armor and come and rescue me. I can take care of myself." 

"You didn't look like you were taking care of yourself when I got here." 

"I've lost battles before, Ember. I hate losing to bullies like Surge, but I don't appreciate you showing up to bully him back." 

"I wasn't bullying," said Ember defensively. "I was upholding your honor and the honor of the League." 

"You were showing off," Aurora retorted. "You and your Flygons and - and your silly costume." 

"I am not silly," said Ember, glowering. 

"You are," said Aurora. "If you weren't, you wouldn't even _be_ here. What are you doing here? You _told_ me you were going to go looking for the Psychic. You're going the wrong direction if you want to get to the Silver Mountains." 

Ember looked away. "Hm. I took a detour." 

"What on earth for?" 

"Because I knew you'd do something stupid!" he said. "And I was right, too, wasn't I? What were you thinking, taking Surge on? Didn't you know what would happen? Or are you really that monumentally foolish?" 

"I didn't have a choice! He railroaded me into it, and he wouldn't take no for an answer," said Aurora. "I could either let him fight and hope there was a chance I could win, or I could let him claim a victory right there. You would have done the same thing." 

"Yes, but I won," said Ember. 

Aurora shook her head and stared at the sky. "You're impossible! Look, you shouldn't have done this. Surge making a fool of me isn't nearly as important as getting this Psychic taken care of. He could be killing someone else right now, for all we know, and you're not stopping him because you're here trying to protect me. I'm not that important." 

She let her eyes meet his again, and realized suddenly that she'd just said the wrong thing. 

"I'm _not_," she said again, a note of desperation creeping into her voice. 

Ember looked away. "I of all people am well placed to know exactly what you are worth." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. 

"It means that I, of all people, ought to know how likely you are to get yourself into trouble. You're always doing these things - thinking you can do anything just because you try. Always tackling jobs that are too big for you, challenging people who are too powerful for you, setting your heart on things you'll never have..." 

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. 

"You know good and well what I'm talking about - and _who_ I'm talking about. I _do_ watch you, you know." 

"You what?" 

"I am a spy, you know. I've been keeping an eye on you. Even if you didn't come to see me, I came to see you." 

"You were spying on me? When?" 

"At night, mostly," said Ember, "when your birds were asleep and couldn't tell tales on me. Whenever I could spare a night, I came and watched you. Never more than a few minutes at a time, maybe an hour. It was enough to let me know what you were doing... what you were thinking. I kept waiting for you to repay the favor and come looking for me, but you never did, so I watched to find out why. And I did." 

"I'm not following any of this." 

"You know what I'm talking about. You've been sighing after someone you can't have," he said. "Or did you think you were keeping it secret? I'm surprised the whole continent doesn't know about your oh-so-clandestine affections for your teacher. Did you really think you had a chance? You're ten years his junior, for one thing. " 

Aurora was blushing furiously. "I'll get older." 

"He's never going to see you any differently. You're his student. He sees you as nothing more than that. A daughter, perhaps. But he'll never love you the way-" He stopped suddenly and flushed. 

"What?" she asked. 

"The way you want him to," he muttered. 

"That's not what you were going to say." 

"Never mind!" said Ember. "I'm wasting my breath, talking to you." 

He turned and tried to walk off, but Aurora caught his dramatic cape and gripped it tightly. He jerked it out of her hands, but she lunged forward and grabbed his arm, wrestling with him as he attempted to throw her off. 

"Let me go!" 

"No!" she said. "You're not running away this time. I'm tired of you running away, you're _always_ running away. What are you so afraid of?" 

He pulled away from her, backing away from her a few paces and staring at her, wild-eyed. "I'm not afraid of anything." 

"You are," she said. "Otherwise you wouldn't turn around and walk off ever time you get close to saying what you want to say. Maybe you don't deserve to have me come to you, if you're going to leave me every time I get close." 

Ember looked stung. He lowered his eyes and let his shoulders slump, but said nothing. Aurora let her manner soften a little. 

"It's okay," she said softly. She took a few steps closer to him, carefully, as she would approach an injured wild bird. "It's okay. You don't have to say it if you don't want to. I _know_." 

He raised his eye to look at her. She looked back, quietly, steadily. 

"How long?" he asked. 

"Just a few days," she said. "I kind of figured it out, last time we talked. It was the only thing that would explain the way you've been acting." 

"Took you long enough." 

"I know," she said, blushing. "You know... you know it takes me a while to figure things out." 

There was a pause. Then he relaxed slightly. 

"Yes. I know it takes you a while to figure things out." He sighed. "That's your problem, you know. You never want to face up to anything you don't want to hear. And you obviously didn't want to hear about me." 

"Please, Ember, don't take it wrong. I was just... shocked. I mean, you always seemed so independent, I never imagined..." 

"Oh, be quiet," he said. "Every time I try to be independent I make a fool of myself. And you're just as bad. No matter how obvious it is that the odds are stacked against you, you never give up. It's ridiculous. Even when it's hopeless, you never lose hope..." He trailed off. "It's why I keep coming back to you." 

"Maybe you should stop running away," she said quietly, "and stay." 

He looked at her quizzically. "Is that what you want?" 

She was quiet for a long time. 

"I'm not sure what I want," she admitted, "but it would be a lot easier to decide if I knew I could count on you not to disappear again." 

After a pause, he answered, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tag along for a while. Things do seem to be accomplished more efficiently when we work together... and I can keep you from getting into any more trouble. It's not safe for anyone to travel alone today, particularly if you're superstitious. A few of the townsfolk were gossiping about seeing a Murkrow flying over the town. There are those who believes the sight of a Murkrow foretells a coming death." 

"That was _my_ Murkrow, Fire-top. Who else do you think uses them?" 

"If that was you, then it seems I've overestimated you again, Winter-hair. Why didn't you just use your bird there?" He waved vaguely at Scar. "Fearows are relatively common around here, but I doubt half these people have ever even _seen_ a Murkrow." 

"Have they seen Fearows wearing jewelry?" asked Aurora. Scar croaked and strutted about, showing off the golden pendant he wore around his neck. It was a Sharp Beak amulet, a gift from Falkner a reward for Aurora's winning her first battle. Scar was quite proud of it, as was the girl who had won it. 

"Perhaps not," Ember admitted. 

They strolled back to the main streets and were pleased to see that everyone else had gone on about their business. All that was left were Laine, Lapis, and Rod, who were loitering around a signpost and chatting, apparently reliving Ember's fight with Surge. As Rod caught sight of them, his expression lit up. 

"Hey, they're back!" he said. He broke away from the group and ran to greet them. "Wow, I've never seen anyone take out Lt. Surge like that - not when he meant business." 

"Have you ever seen him battle another Gym Leader?" answered Ember. 

"Well, no... but you were pretty awesome anyway. How do you do it?" 

"Credit goes to my instructor," answered Ember. "Between training with Lance and ... my uncle, it would be remarkable if I didn't learn something." 

He walked off before Rod could say anything else; Aurora heard Ember muttering quietly about fanboys. 

"So, did you kids patch things up?" asked Laine casually. 

"We're not on first-name terms anymore," said Aurora. 

"Good," Laine answered. "You're back to the cutesy nicknames, huh?" 

"Don't you have some business you could be minding?" asked Ember tiredly. "I am making a tremendous personal sacrifice just being here, you know. I _could_ be on my way to Fuchsia City right now, finding out what Koga's been up to." 

"What makes you think he's there?" asked Lapis. "He ought to be on Indigo Plateau with the rest of the Elite Four, right? Well, what's left of it." 

"He wouldn't be hatching his plots right under Lance's nose," said Ember. "No, I'm willing to bet he's slipped back to his old stomping grounds." 

"Do you want to go looking for him?" asked Aurora. 

Ember thought about it. "No. You were right. I should finish the job I started with... and this is not my battle to fight. We'll tip Lance off and let him handle it. For now, we should be trying to get to the Silver Mountains as fast as possible, before our Psychic makes his next move." 

"Won't be easy," said Laine, "seein' as how we're kinda on the wrong side of the continent." 

"I have ways of getting around," said Ember. For some reason, whatever idea he had didn't make him look that comfortable. "It might take some arranging, but I think I can manage transportation for all of us." 

He reached for his cell phone, but Lapis stopped him. 

"Don't bother," she said. "Every Electric Pokemon in the city has been going haywire for days, and they're fouling up the reception. Nobody can make a cell phone call unless they go a half-mile or more out of the city limits." 

Ember rolled his eyes. "Splendid. Well, is there a pay phone somewhere I can use?" 

"Try down by the docks," Rod suggested. "There are a bunch of them down there for making travel arrangements." 

"Good enough," Ember replied. "Thank you for your assistance." 

He turned and began walking off, apparently unconcerned whether anyone followed him. Aurora looked apologetically at Lapis and Rod, who looked a little puzzled. 

"He's just like that," she said. "I think he's used up his supply of sociability for today." 

"Pity you have to travel with him," said Lapis sympathetically. 

"No," said Aurora. "I don't think so." 

"You ain't gonna travel with him if he walks off an' leaves ya!" Laine called. She was already halfway up the block. "C'mon already!" 

"Bye!" Aurora called, and scrambled to catch up with the rest of the group. Lapis and Rod waved back, looking faintly bewildered. 

It was a short walk to the docks, and a quiet one. All of Ember's mental energies seemed to be tied up in whatever he was planning to get himself and his companions safely to the Silver Mountains, and he was in no mood to talk about it. Aurora walked at his side, trying to maintain a safe distance where she could be supportive but not annoying. Eventually, however, her attention was caught by a commotion somewhere up ahead that was enough to rouse Ember from his daze. 

They had found the docks, the pay phones, and, it seemed, an argument. A fair-haired young man, his face slightly red from yelling, was ranting and railing at someone inside an office. He was stopped in mid-shout as the door to the building was slammed in his face. He stood and glowered, muttering savagely. Laine shook her head. 

"Well, looky here," she said. "It's the human Christmas tree again." 

"Do you know him?" Ember asked. 

Aurora sighed. "Yes. Not gladly, but..." 

"Oh, it's you again," said Brand, catching sight of them at last. "Where have you been? You've missed all the excitement." 

Everyone exchanged glances, but said nothing. Scar crowed in derision. 

"These people," Brand continued, "are the most unreasonable businessmen I've ever had the misfortune to deal with, and that includes my esteemed family. You would not _believe_ the price for a simple boat ride to Cinnabar. You'd think it wouldn't be that much trouble just to move one person, but obviously these people can't be bothered to do their job." 

"We're all very sympathetic, I'm sure," said Ember. "Winter-hair, who is this person and why does he feel he needs to unload his sad story on us?" 

"This is Gym Leader Brand, formerly known as Brandon deForge IV," said Aurora. "Brand, this is Gym Leader Ember, of Blackthorn City." 

"Is that so?" said Brand disinterestedly. "Now, as I was saying..." 

"A deForge, hm?" said Ember. "That explains it. They're all like this." 

"Really?" asked Laine. "No wonder he ran away." 

Ember finally seemed to have taken Brand's attention away from himself; he blinked at the younger man as he tried to wrestle his derailed train of thought back into place. "You knew my family? But you're just a child." 

Ember raised an eyebrow; he was scarcely younger than Brand was. "We've had some, shall we say, business interactions." 

"Ah," said Brand, as if he didn't quite believe him. 

"Well, I'm sorry about your boat," said Aurora, "but we really need to make a phone call, so if you'll excuse us..." 

"You're not going anywhere," said Brand. "You said you'd provide me with safe passage, you know. You can't just leave me stranded here!" 

"You aren't stranded here," Ember told him. "Things will straighten out in a day or two, if our plans go well, and then you should be able to get home again. It's not our problem." 

"I don't want to wait a day or two! I've had enough of this nonsense," said Brand. "I want to go home _today_." 

"My grandpa'd say you're old enough for your wants not to hurt you," said Laine. 

"Are _you_ planning on staying here?" Brand demanded. 

"Well, no," said Aurora, "but-" 

"Then I insist on going with you," he said. "I refuse to stay alone in this two-bit town!" 

"And Cinnibar is a center of culture?" said Ember. 

Brand deflated a bit, and decided to try a different tack. "I'll pay," he offered. 

"I'm not interested in your money," Ember said. "What I am interested in is making a phone call. _You_ argue with him," he said to the girls. 

Ember stalked off to find a telephone. Brand glared at him. 

"He was rude," he said. 

"So are you," said Aurora. "Look, we got you here. That was the agreement. You're going to have to get the rest of the way home by yourself. We're going back towards the Indigo Plateau, now - that's the wrong way. You don't want to go with us." 

"So you brought me here just to leave me stranded?" Brand demanded. 

"Don't worry about it," said a voice. "I'll see you safely home. You'll get home if you keep quiet and don't cause trouble." 

Brand couldn't have looked more surprised if someone had slapped him. His pale face went even paler, and his eyes widened. "Master!" 

"That's right," the voice replied. Stepping casually out from behind the building came an elderly man in a long white coat. Wisps of pale hair clung to his mostly bald head, and his eyes surveyed the world from behind round-lensed spectacles. Despite all that, he still gave an impression of wiry strength. His boots were badly worn, but other than looking a bit tired and breathless, the man seemed to be in reasonably good health. Everyone stared. 

"Where the heck did you come from?" Laine exclaimed. 

"Doing research. That's what I do - research," he answered. "Really, Brand, I'm disappointed in you. You were supposed to watch the Gym for me." 

"I'm sorry, Master, but I was worried," said Brand. 

"Fine, fine," answered Blaine. "Well, now you see me, I'm safe and sound, so go do what you're supposed to be doing and let me get on with my business." 

"But where have you been all this time?" asked Aurora. "Why did you disappear? Why didn't you leave an explanation or something?" 

His expression turned thoughtful. "I have an explanation," he said at last. "I have one, but... I can't tell just anyone. Not here. Somewhere quiet. Can't let anyone overhear us..." 

"Are you in trouble, Master?" asked Brand anxiously. "Can I help?" 

Blaine thought about it a while. 

"Understand, this is important to me. Very important," he said. "You've got to promise you won't interfere. You will promise, won't you?" 

"I promise," said Brand, nodding obediently. 

"Fine. Let's talk." He turned and began slipping back behind the building, beckoning for them to follow. The others trailed after him, one after the other. 

The docks were very quiet. Few people were traveling these days, and it was easy to find a place that was unoccupied. Blaine chose a shadowy spot beneath a pier. Since it was low tide at the moment, there was plenty of room to stand, though the air had a decidedly fishy smell. 

"Is this private enough?" asked Aurora, facing the old man. His spectacles glittered oddly in the dim light, making it hard to see his eyes. 

"Good enough," he said. "It shouldn't take long... shouldn't take long to explain." 

"So spill already," said Laine impatiently. 

"Be quiet," he said. "It's not you I want to talk to... it's her." 

"What do you mean?" Aurora asked. 

"What do you know about these murders?" he asked. 

"Er... not much," she said. "Only that there's this Psychic who's behind it somehow. Alistair Whitehand." 

"Ahhhhh, yes," he said. "I know about this Psychic. He's out to get you, you know." 

"He is?" asked Aurora, alarmed. Her mind flashed back to the strange attack outside of Lavender Town. 

"Yes," Blaine replied. "He's had a vision. He had a vision that the success of his mission hinges on the actions of one girl. You have the power to make his quest succeed... or fail. That is why he is watching you. He's tried once already to kill you, and it didn't work. There is a force defending you from his powers... but you're not safe, you no." 

"No," she said. "He has another helper, doesn't he? The Man in Red? He came after me once before." 

"Yes. I know about him, too, this Man in Red. He's a desperate man." 

"Why would he help the Psychic, though? Why would anyone want to destroy the League?" Aurora asked. "Do you know? Can you tell us?" 

"Yes. Yes, I know." 

He began walking slowly toward Aurora, one hand reaching for something in one of his pockets. Aurora had only time to think, _I just made a bad move._

The next thing she felt was the sensation of a bony hand latching onto her arm and yanking her painfully towards him. The other arm wrapped tightly around her, and she saw out of the corner of her eye the flash of something metallic. A thin edge of pressure against her throat warned her not to move far more efficiently than the voice that hissed in her ear. 

"Don't scream, girl," he said. "Don't make a move. Don't any of you make a move!" 

The others stood frozen, uncertain what to do. Brand was staring, unable to believe what he was seeing. 

"Master... why?" 

"I'll tell you why. I brought you here to tell you why," he answered. "I'm tired of working in the shadows. I want someone to know what I'm doing, for once. It's time for me to be heard..." 

Scar advanced on him slowly, hissing in warning. Blaine pressed more tightly with his knife, and Aurora whimpered. Scar stopped moving, but he continued to hiss, his head weaving like a snake's, waiting for the moment to strike. 

"No one ever listened to me," said Blaine, more quietly. "They were never there when I needed them. Well, they're going to pay attention now." 

"I don't understand," Brand persisted. "You're - you're a Gym Leader. It's your duty to defend the League! How can you turn on them?" 

"Turn on them!" Blaine bellowed. His hand was shaking; the blade nicked Aurora's skin. "They turned on me! You weren't there when the volcano went up, were you? Everything was destroyed! Barely a single building survived! Do you know how many people were killed and hurt? Were you there when they hauled them all away? My city was destroyed, my home was leveled - and what did the League do for me then? I had to flee for my own life! I had to hole up in a wretched _cave_ in the middle of the ocean! They should have done something - I should have been protected. They should have done something for me, and they left me by the wayside. Well, they aren't going to ignore me anymore! They can lose their Gyms like I lost mine - their people can die just like mine did! Then they'll know how I felt! I will have my revenge!" 

"No," said Aurora. "You won't." 

"I will!" he told her. "As soon as I'm rid of you, there won't be anything left to stop us." 

"It's too late," she said. "I've already told Dragon Master Ember everything that's going on. He's on his way to your hiding place right now to put a stop to all of this. I've done my part, now. You can't stop it." 

There was a moment of blank silence. 

"It's not possible," said Blaine at last. "You must be - you must be lying. You can't have stopped us. Not before I kill you." 

"Master, please, listen to reason," Brand begged. "You just can't _do_ this... You're obviously under a lot of strain but-" 

"No!" Blaine gasped. "I won't - I won't let it end! Not before we're finished! I gave up _everything_ to make this work! It has to work!" 

He waved the knife wildly, preparing to plunge it into his petrified victim... and then he dropped it. He gasped and staggered backwards, panting heavily, clutching at his left arm. His face was ashen, his lips bluish. For a moment, he was struggling to breathe. Then he stopped. His body, finally broken under the strain, toppled silently into the damp sand. His eyes were still open and staring. 

For a moment, all was silent except for the crashing of the waves. Aurora remained where she was; she could have been a statue if it hadn't been for the blood trickling down her neck. Scar hopped over to her and gently preened her hair with his beak. Brand took a few unsteady steps toward his fallen master and dropped to his knees next to him, apparently unconcerned about what the wet, slimy sand would do to his expensive clothing. It was a good while before anyone spoke, and when they did, it was someone off into the distance. 

"Aurora? Elaine? Blast it, where have you run off to? After all that scolding about running away..." 

Laine shook herself. "She's down here! You'd better get your butt down here, too." 

There was a series of wooden thuds as someone ran down the boardwalk, and a moment later, Ember was scrambling down onto the beach, looking frantically for signs of life. 

"Over here!" Laine called. 

Ember hurried to follow her voice. He stopped short as he took in the scene - the motionless body, the bloody knife, and Aurora standing frozen while a red stain spread on the collar of her shirt. He took a few hesitant steps forward and put a hand on her shoulder. 

"Are you all right?" he asked. Getting no reaction, he cupped a hand under her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Look at me. You're safe, now. Do you understand? It's all right." 

She shivered, and then flung her arms around him, burying her face against his shirt and weeping uncontrollably. He waited patiently for the shock and hysteria to play itself out, putting his arms around her and running his fingers through her hair. At last, she quieted to hiccupping sobs, and he carefully released her. She was still trembling, though, and she clung stubbornly to him. 

"Take it easy," he said. "You're ruining my clothes, you know." 

"Sorry." 

"It's all right, just this once. I thought you said you weren't going to scare me like this again." 

"I didn't mean to..." She sniffled. "I was being stupid again." 

"Evidently. You've gotten yourself hurt. Let's see here..." 

He produced a small pocketknife and began sawing at the edge of his cloak, until he had produced a strip of satiny purple cloth. He folded it a few times until he had a neat ribbon, and carefully fixed it around her neck, covering the cut and stanching the trickle of blood. She ran her fingers over it; the soft cloth wasn't uncomfortable at all, and she doubted anyone would realize it was a makeshift bandage and not a scarf. 

"Thanks," she said. 

"You are welcome," he answered. "Next time, I will have to be here to watch over you." 

"Yes." 

Their eyes met for a moment. Ember looked away first, his face coloring slightly. 

"Now, would someone like to explain what's going on here?" 

"I... don't understand," said Brand weakly. "I never would have imagined it would come to this..." 

Ember walked over to stand beside him, giving the body a cursory examination. 

"Dead," he said. "How did this occur?" 

"Heart attack, I'll bet," said Laine. "That's kinda what it looked like t'me. Not that I'm any expert, but..." 

Ember glanced back at the body, where the man's right hand was still clutching at the opposite arm. "It's entirely likely. You there," he said to Brand. "You knew him, didn't you? Would you be willing to deal with the paperwork for all of this? Much as he deserves it, we can't just leave him to float away to sea." 

"It's what he was gonna do to Rora," said Laine savagely. "Why not let him rot?" 

"He was a good teacher to me," Brand said, a little defensively. "He was a good Gym Leader... for a while." 

"Not anymore, evidently," said Ember dryly. 

"He was very angry," said Aurora softly. "I had a vision, about a man being burned at the stake. One of the ones Berry gave me, I mean. He didn't have any face." 

Laine gave her a worried look. "You sure you're okay, Rora?" 

"She's still in shock, I think," said Ember, "but I think I know what she's getting at. A vision of a faceless man in flames..." He prodded the body with his toe, looking thoughtful. "He's not carrying any Pokemon. Odd, isn't it? A Gym Leader with no Pokemon. It's like a bird with no feathers." 

"He said he gave up everything for this," Brand supplied. 

"So after a lifetime of training, he gives up his Pokemon, his place in the League, his whole way of life, to follow this Psychic. No wonder his heart gave out." 

"It's not going to be pretty when this gets out," Laine commented. "Dead Gym Leader. Just what everybody's afraid of." 

"Then we'll just have to move quickly," said Ember. "Once one turns up, our Psychic might decide there's no reason why he ought not to cause a few more. We have no more time to waste. Brand, are you equipped to deal with this?" 

Brand was still looking a bit gray, but he nodded resolutely. "It's the least I can do for him." 

"Then do so," said Ember. "I'd offer you proper condolences, but I don't really have the time. Or inclination." His gaze flicked toward Aurora and back again. "In the meantime, we have work to do, and places to be. Our ride will be here any minute. Farewell, Brand. May your fortunes be better than your master's." 

He began striding up the beach. After a moment, Laine, Scar, and finally Aurora followed after him. They traveled in silence for a while, following the curving trail of the beach. When they were out of sight of the city, Ember let his pace lag a little, almost imperceptibly, until he was walking beside Aurora at the back of the little traveling party. 

"Are you sure you're all right?" he asked her quietly. 

"Mostly," she said. 

"If he had succeeded, I would have killed him myself." 

"Don't say that." 

"I might have regretted it afterwards, but I would have." 

"You would have gotten into an awful lot of trouble." 

"I wouldn't have cared." 

She stopped walking to stare at him. He turned away, looking profoundly embarrassed. 

"You really are sweet, in your way," she said. "I'd almost forgotten. You really are much more attractive when you're being nice." 

"Is that why you were clinging to me like a drowning sailor?" 

She flashed him an impish smile. "Were you enjoying it?" 

He colored brightly. "I've felt worse." 

"Would you two lovebirds quit goofin' around?" said Laine. "I hate to break up your fun, but I dunno where the heck we're goin'." 

"On up the coast," said Ember. "I've got people meeting us there - specifically, the crew of the _S.S. Team Colors_." 

"You have a boat?" asked Laine. 

He shrugged. "I inherited it along with everything else. It comes in handy, once in a while." 

Sure enough, a short trip down the coastline, they found a tidy little ship tucked into a cove. A young man with a fishing line was casually trolling for sea Pokemon, but when he caught sight of Ember, he stood up and saluted. 

"Everything's shipshape!" he announced. "We sail on your orders. Where are we heading?" 

"Route 16, or as close as you can put us," Ember answered. "We're bound for Celadon City." 

"Celadon City it is," the seaman replied. "One minute while I put down the ladder." 

He hurried off to suit action to word. Ember turned to Aurora with a serious expression. 

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to break my promise, a bit," he said. 

"What do you mean?" she asked. 

"Well... I know I said I wasn't going to disappear again, but... I'm going to have to make this trip confined to my cabin." 

"Why's that?" asked Laine. 

He glared. "Because, boats make me seasick, and that's the last thing any of you need to see." 

Laine howled with laughter. "Oh, yeah, that's right, I forgot!" 

"Oh, dear," said Aurora, struggling to hide a smile. "Well, I hope it won't be too bad." 

The seaman threw down a rope ladder, and Laine began scrambling up it. Aurora made a move to follow, and then surprised Ember by doubling back long enough to bestow a quick peck on his cheek before hurrying up to the deck. Ember followed dazedly, and if the motion of the boat bothered him, he gave no sign at all. 

**To Be Continued**


	10. Stage Ten Cards on the Table

**Stage Ten: Cards on the Table**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Considering the occupation that the boat _Team Colors_ was given, it was debatable whether it could be called a good ship, but it was certainly seaworthy. Laine stood at the prow of the ship, enjoying the cool sea breezes and the salt spray. She was not particularly fond of long boat trips, where one could go for days without sight of land, but a short trip like this one suited her very well. It put her in mind of the times when she was younger, and she and her father would roam the world in search of rare and interesting Pokemon. The crew of the vessel were polite enough to leave her alone.

She was alone, too. Scar had voiced his opinion of boats and flapped off to enjoy the sea air as it was meant to be enjoyed. Mew had gone invisible, which was probably prudent, considering that Team Rocket was, first and foremost, a band of Pokemon poachers. They probably wouldn't have been able to resist trying to catch one of the world's rarest Pokemon while it was practically sitting in their laps. As for Aurora, she had learned her lesson about what seawater did to her hair, and had no intention of going through that again; she was hiding in the hold below deck.

It was, at least, a very good place to hide. A casual inspection would have said that this boat's occupation was the shipping of sports equipment, and the hold was crammed with crates and cardboard boxes filled with baseball mitts and tennis racquets. She was willing to bet, though, that if someone had done a thorough search, they would have found something much more interesting. It was also dark and stuffy in there, with the only light filtering down from the trapdoor above, and not a very exciting place to have to spend a great deal of time. The seat Aurora had chosen was on a box of what appeared to be croquet mallets, and was not particularly comfortable to sit on, but there weren't many other choices available. She shifted position a bit, trying to find a way to sit that didn't cramp her long legs.

There was a creaking above her, and she was surprised to see the trapdoor open and someone start coming down the steps. She was even more surprised to see who it was.

"Ember! I thought you were hiding in your room or something," she said.

"Yes, that was what I was planning," he answered. "However, we've reached smoother waters, and I am feeling somewhat recovered. I thought I would see if you were coping adequately. You have not chosen the most comfortable accommodations."

Aurora watched him try to find a decent seat, and, failing that, make do with a perch upon a box of basketballs. It was her opinion that he still looked rather pale and drawn, but he didn't look as bad as he had the last time she'd seen him on a boat.

"I wanted to get somewhere that wasn't so damp," she said. "Saltwater turns my hair into a Raticate's nest. Sometimes I think it would be easier if I were to cut the whole thing off."

"Don't do that," he said. "It's your only distinguishing feature. You'd lose what visual impact you have if you did that."

She sighed. "I know. That's why I've never cut it... Should I ask you why you haven't cut yours lately?"

He huffed irritably at a few strands that were falling across his face.

"I've been busy," he said. "There never seems to be time for little things like that... There never seems to be time for anything but work, these days." He sighed. "I suppose that should be obvious. If I'm too busy to spend any time with the people most important to me, of course I'm too busy for a trivial thing like a haircut. I haven't exactly gone out of my way to make myself accessible. I shouldn't have blamed you for wanting to spend your time with someone who goes out of his way to be kind to you."

"It's all right," she said. "We're over that now."

"I suppose," he replied. "It's just... this makes me think how much I've had to sacrifice to get where I am. I've always believed what I'm doing is important. Running the Team, managing my Gym... these are things that could change the world. You would think that taking care of them should be the most important thing in my life, wouldn't you? But the more I think about it, the more I think that if I devote myself to nothing but my work, I'm hardly any better than Clair."

Aurora shuddered slightly. "You'll never be _that_ bad. Just listening in on her trial made me sick. What did they charge her with again?"

"Pokemon abuse, use of unapproved Pokemon in an official Gym battle, challenging with intent to harm, conspiracy against the Pokemon League... assorted other things. Those are just on the Pokemon League side of the trial," said Ember. "She was given a separate trial for various civil issues. I skipped most of that."

"I went. I had to - I was one of the people who filed charges against her. She was found guilty on all charges," Aurora replied. "I don't know if she's _ever_ going to get out of prison."

"Oh, she's out already. Didn't Falkner tell you?" Catching Aurora's look of horror, Ember added, "They moved her to a mental institution. She didn't take losing well at all. They kept it all hushed up, of course. I only know about it because Lance told me, but I thought Falkner might have picked up on it."

"He never said a word. Then again, he's been known to keep unpleasant news from me if he thinks it will upset me... That's one point in your favor."

Ember looked mildly gratified by this.

"Then I might as well let you be the first to hear some interesting news," he said. "I've been turning this idea over in my mind for a while, now, but recent events have helped me come to a decision. You'll be the first to hear this. I've decided... I'm going to leave Team Rocket."

"What?" Aurora yelped. She couldn't have felt more shocked if the bottom had dropped out of the boat. In the years since he'd taken his place as the leader of the Team, she had never imagined Team Rocket existing without him in it.

"Not right away," he assured her. "Not too far in the future, though, either. I haven't decided exactly when, but it won't be until I've found a suitable replacement. I'm not just going to walk off and leave everything I've worked for without knowing it's in safe hands."

Aurora was trying to gather her thoughts. "I thought you were loyal to the Rockets..."

"Did you really? So did I," he replied. "I still believe the work is important, but... my perspective has changed somewhat. I knew I couldn't do it forever. Lance wants me to be Champion after him, someday, and I won't be able to carry that responsibility and manage the Team at the same time. Being a Gym Leader is enough of a strain, and being responsible for all of Kanto and Johto..."

"You don't have to be Champion if you don't want to."

"That's not what I'm saying. I _do_ want to be Champion, someday. I feel I could accomplish a lot in that post. But I don't feel like I can work to my full potential as long as I'm bound to the Rockets, too. Honestly, did you ever really think my goal in life was to make money as a criminal?"

"Well, now that you mention it... no."

"I didn't think so." Ember sighed. "That's the trouble with being a Gym Leader - it gives you too much perspective. You can't live in your own safe little world while the troubles of everyone in Johto rest on your shoulders. I begin to feel it's time for a change."

"When?"

"I don't know. Not until we get this current matter dealt with... and then I'll still need to find a suitable replacement to run things once I'm gone. Unfortunately, I can only think of two people I would trust in the position, and one can't and the other won't."

"Who are they?" Aurora asked.

"One of them is Lance. I'd trust him to run _anything_ properly... but his heart wouldn't be in it, and anyway, he's getting on in years. He wants to retire and spend some quiet time with his Dragons - or so he says." A raised eyebrow was the only clue as to what Ember thought of this.

Aurora tried to imagine Lance as a Rocket leader and shook her head. She agreed with Ember's assessment that he could probably keep everyone in line, but...

"Who's the other one?" she persisted.

"Gym Leader Morty."

Aurora squawked. "Him?"

"Why not?" asked Ember with a shrug. "He's a masterful trainer. He's organized. He knows how to gather information and keep secrets. He's comfortable in the darkness. He knows how to manage difficult people."

"You mean like Nick," said Aurora with a giggle.

Ember remained straight faced. "Of course. If he can turn Necromancy Nick into a decent trainer, he can manage a bunch of half-witted Rockets who can't keep their bootlaces tied half the time. Which isn't really what I have to manage, most of the time, now that I think of it... but you get the idea. It doesn't matter, anyway, since Morty already has a good job as a Gym Leader, and I wouldn't ask him to give it up."

Aurora continued to giggle. "You know, I heard from Laine that _she_ heard Morty is thinking of retiring."

"He is?" It wasn't every day Aurora got to say something that took Ember completely off- guard.

"Of course! Why do you think he hired an apprentice?"

"Well..."

"He wants to get out," she said. "From what I hear, he's thinking of settling down, and you know that takes money... and Gym Leaders don't make all that much."

"True, it is mostly about the bragging rights," said Ember thoughtfully. "If there is one thing to be said for being the Boss Rocket, it would be that the pay is good."

"So talk to him. Soon. As soon as we get home," Aurora said. "I'm almost positive he'll say yes."

"Hmm..." said Ember. "I suppose it couldn't hurt..."

"And if he says no, you can ask Nick instead."

Ember snorted. "That little hellion? I wouldn't trust him with a loaded water pistol."

"And I was joking!" said Aurora. "You take everything too seriously."

"And _you_ don't take anything seriously enough," Ember retorted. His expression softened a little. "You know, if I can pare down some of my responsibilities, I'll have more time for other things."

"I guess so."

"Well... things could happen."

"They might," she agreed.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

She laughed. "I know what you're talking about. I'm not as clueless as all that, really! When this is over... well, you're right about one thing: it's too early to make plans. But if this all comes out okay, I'll keep my promise. I'll come back. And next time..."

"Yes?" he said warily.

"It's my turn to treat, okay? Because you bought lunch last time."

He laughed incredulously. "All right, fine. You may buy lunch next time, if that will make you happy."

"You make it sound like a privilege," she said.

"It is," he said, "and the odds of me letting you do it again are not good."

She laughed. "If we get together, we're going to make the _oddest_ couple."

"What do you mean, if?"

"Well, it's like you say. Things could happen."

He thought about that a moment, and then chuckled softly.

"Yes. You're right, of course," he said. "And we just keep walking into them and getting involved."

"Well, maybe we can get this mess straightened out soon, and there will be time to sort everything else out."

There was a sound from above. The hatch opened, and a shadow could be discerned through the sunlight beaming down into the hold.

"Sir, are you down there?" called a voice.

"That depends," said Ember.

"Sir, I was told to report to you that we're nearing our destination. We'll be docking within ten minutes if you want to start getting your things together."

"Fine, fine. I'll be up in a minute." Ember turned back to Aurora. "Don't tell your loudmouthed friend about this little conversation. She's entirely too smug as it is, without you encouraging her."

Aurora laughed. "She's just trying to make up for the fact that you don't say anything."

"Well, I'm trying to change that, so there's no need to give her any more ammunition."

He marched off with all the dignity he could muster, disappearing through the hatch. Aurora let him go. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of this new sociable streak of his, but she didn't see any point in pressing her luck.

_We're still friends. That's the most important part. We'll figure out the rest somehow._

After she judged that Ember had been given enough time to take himself away on his business, she emerged from the cargo hold, blinking as her eyes were struck by the strong sunlight. She could see the shore rapidly approaching - it was already near enough for her to discern individual trees, and a glitter in the distance told her that Celedon City couldn't be far away. It would still be a bit of a walk, but they would reach their destination before night fell. Ember and his boat had saved them a long trip and some precious time. While Aurora was contemplating this, Scar flapped down and landed on her shoulders, startling her.

"Watch it!" she yelped.

"Spear, spear!"

"Well, you fly quietly, and I wasn't paying attention!"

"You're a funny girl, Rora," said Laine, as she reeled in her fishing line. "How come you get along best with the folks you're always arguin' with, huh? First Scar, and then Ember... you even like Pryce, an' he'll argue with a pile of rocks."

"Oh, cut it out," said Aurora. "With logic like that, you'll be saying next that I'm in love with Brand."

Laine doubled over with laughter. "Well, he _does_ stand to inherit some money..."

"Keep it down," said a sharp voice; Ember had reappeared from the captain's cabin. "Sound carries on the water, and we don't want to be heard from shore more than we can help. This is supposed to be a _secret_ mission, you know."

"Oh. Right. Sorry," said Aurora, flushing slightly. In a quieter voice, she added, "So, what are our plans from here?"

"I see no reason why we ought not to continue with your original plan, as long as we're here," Ember replied. "Who is your contact in this town?"

Aurora thought for a moment. "Yukiko. He said he didn't trust Erika, and wanted to keep an eye on her."

"Very well. I suggest finding him and seeing if he's learned anything of use. I myself intend to do a bit of investigating on my own. I have some contacts within this town, left over from the days when we used to own the gaming parlor." He scowled a little. "If they had let us _keep_ that base, we wouldn't have had to open a new one in Saffron City, and there wouldn't have been so much fuss about the populace being corrupted by gambling. As usual, it's always our fault. Where was I?"

"You were gonna go off snoopin' somewheres," said Laine casually.

"Ah. Right. I'll visit with my old contacts and see if they can't offer some advice on how best to get across the Silver Mountains without being noticed. I'm not sure what we can do against a Psychic of this Alistair Whitehand's caliber, but there's no sense in taking risks."

"I guess," said Aurora doubtfully. "I don't know how much good I can do here, though. I mean, we already know about Alistair, and we know about the plot to overthrow Lance. What else is there?"

"Exactly what we might want to find out," Ember replied. "At any rate, we need not stay long. Just long enough to gather ourselves for the next great step. The last step."

He raised his eyes, staring off at the horizon. All Aurora could see in the distance were trees and more trees, and a few lazy clouds, but the look in Ember's eyes made her almost believe that he could see all the way to the Silver Mountains, all the way to the Psychic's lair.

_We're not putting this off any longer,_ she realized, feeling a sudden squirm in her stomach. _We're really going to do this. Him and me and Scar and Laine... we're going looking for the Psychic._

She hadn't fully absorbed the idea until now. It had always felt in her mind that this was a mission for someone else. She'd always been doing it for someone else - for Lance, or Falkner, or even for Ember. In the end, though, she had always thought that it would be one of those worthies who would go and take on the difficult task for her. She hadn't really intended to finish it off all by herself, or even with help - or if she had, she had imagined it as being in the hazy future. Now it was likely that they would be leaving right away, even within the next couple of hours. She didn't think she liked the idea.

_You'll be safe,_ said a voice in her mind. _I'll protect you from him._

_Thanks, Mew,_ she thought back gratefully.

_Don't bother. This is fun!_

The boat touched land, and one of the attentive sailors shoved a gangplank over the side so that the passengers could disembark in comfort. Ember stood next to it and gestured that Aurora and Laine go first, in an unusual show of mannerliness. Scar seemed to mistrust his motives, and hissed at him as he flapped past. Ember settled for giving him a glare, and said nothing until everyone had safely reached land.

"This is as close to Celedon City as we can get without attracting attention," Ember said, "or so my men tell me. There's a road not far from here that you can take. All good resolutions aside, _I_ can't be flouncing into the city as if I owned it, and you'll understand when I say I can't be bringing you through the secret ways. The _Team Colors_ is one thing, but letting a non-member into a certified Rocket Base... well, I have to draw the line somewhere."

Aurora smiled wryly. "Time to split up again?"

"For the time being. I'll tell you what - we can meet again at the Pokemon Mansion. It's open to the public; no one will pay much attention to a few tourists wandering by."

"Good idea," said Laine. "I always wanted to see that."

"Well, yes, of course I'm sure I planned this whole trip for your amusement and education," said Ember tartly. "Shall we meet there in, say, an hour?"

"Make it an hour and a half," said Aurora. "We might need more time than that just to track Yukiko down before we even talk to him."

"Very well. I can wait," said Ember. "But don't take too long. We don't have as much time as we would like. And on that note..."

He turned and was gone. Aurora stared a bit. She had been interested to watch Mew appearing and disappearing, but Mew didn't have anything on Ember. Mew was just there or not there, without much of anything happening in between. Ember faded gracefully into the shadows. It was a remarkable effect.

"Quit droolin'," said Laine. "You tryin' to raise the water level or what?"

"I wasn't drooling," Aurora answered loftily. Before she could be asked to elaborate in any particular fashion on this piece of information, she turned and began walking briskly up the road. She tried not to listen to Laine giggling behind her.

The first thing that struck her as she made her way into Celedon City was how quiet it was there. Normally she would have expected at least birds or insects, but she heard nothing at all the entire time. Scar was nervous, and hopped alongside her instead of flying, as he usually did. Mew felt it too - though Aurora couldn't see him, she could _feel_ him lurking close by, as if he expected something to jump out at them. Laine might not have been so sensitive, but she was still in an irritable mood. For a Pokemon field researcher, there was nothing more irritating than a wild countryside with no Pokemon in it. The girls walked close together, instinctively preparing themselves to back each other up if something were to attack them. In the silence, it was possible to hear even the smallest noises: the girls' breathing, the soft crackle of Scar's claws on the leafy earth, even the faint whispers of air as Mew darted from place to place. Aurora would have sworn she could hear the dust raised by her footsteps falling back to the earth like the softest pattering of rain.

_Why is it so silent?_ she wondered. She wasn't expecting an answer, but she got one anyway.

_There's someone here,_ Mew sent back to her. _Someone close by. Their thoughts are guarded._

_A psychic?_

_Perhaps,_ the Pokemon allowed. _Then again, maybe not. A human who is skilled in self-control can suppress their surface thoughts and make them hard to read, even if they aren't a psychic. The only thing this person is thinking about is not being noticed. I don't think they're hostile._

_Well, as long as whoever it is doesn't bother me..._ Aurora thought.

_Er... about that..._

There was a rush of something large traveling very fast through the air, and Aurora almost turned around in time to see what had just dropped out of a tree behind her. She wasn't fast enough, though - someone snaked an arm around her neck and pulled her into a tight grip. Peripherally, Aurora could see Laine was getting the same treatment, but she was too busy trying to breathe with a hand clapped over her mouth to do anything about it. Scar hissed and fanned his wings, preparing to attack.

"Please do not be alarmed," said a familiar voice. "I only wished to prevent you from screaming. It would be untoward if you were to draw attention to yourselves."

He let his hands fall to his sides, and Aurora turned on him.

"Yukiko!" she hissed. "Can't you behave like a normal person? What are you doing?"

It was indeed Yukiko, though she wouldn't have known it if she hadn't heard his voice. He was wrapped up entirely in black and green garments that concealed every part of him but his eyes.

"What the heck are you s'posed to be, some kind of ninja?" asked Laine, rubbing at her neck.

Yukiko bowed politely. "The young lady is most observant."

"Why are you dressed like a ninja?" asked Aurora.

The corners of his eyes creased, as if he were smiling. "I _am_ a ninja."

"Aw, come off it," said Laine. "There ain't no ninjas around here."

"Not in the usual order of things," said Yukiko, "but there are in Mahogany Town... or there were. It was founded by ninjas - didn't you know? Miyuki and I are direct descendants of the city founders, such as they were."

"That doesn't make you a ninja," Laine pointed out, "any more than me bein' descended from Grandpa makes me a PokeBall maker."

"That is true," said Yukiko, "but the fact remains that certain techniques have been passed down through the generations. Many have regrettably been lost down through the ages, but I have learned a few humble skills - among them, staying out of sight when I wish not to be noticed." More seriously, he added, "I have been not wanting to be noticed for some time now."

"Why?" Aurora asked. "Are things that bad here?"

"Let us discuss this somewhere more secret," Yukiko suggested.

He led them off the beaten path and a short distance into the woods, moving through the fallen leaves without so much as a rustle. Aurora and Laine could not be so quiet, especially Laine with her heavy boots. Yukiko didn't show any signs of objecting, but Aurora swore she could sense smugness radiating from him as he glided soundlessly through the forest. Eventually they came to what seemed to be a teepee of sorts constructed out of branches and leaves propped around a forked tree. Other than a small opening near the bottom and a bare patch where a fire had been lit, it was hard to tell it wasn't just a heap of leaves. Yukiko crept inside, and after some deliberation, the girls followed him. Scar, however, was having none of it, and flapped up into the tree to watch from above.

The twigs and leaves scratched at Aurora's knees as she crawled through the opening, and she grimaced a little as she tried to make herself comfortable on the prickly ground. There was just barely enough room inside for a tall girl like herself to sit up straight. Leaves had gotten caught in her hair, and she fretted with trying to pick them out again before giving it up as an exercise in futility. Laine grumbled as she tried to fold herself up enough to fit into the narrow space. It was stuffy inside the tent, and there was a definite smell of molding leaves.

"Is everyone comfortable?" asked Yukiko. "I did my best to make it liveable."

"How long you been livin' in here?" Laine asked.

"Since the night I got here," Yukiko replied. "I am afraid the honored lady of Celedon City did not make me feel welcome, and I felt it most wise to retreat to a location where we would not inconvenience each other."

"You mean she kicked you out?" Aurora squeaked.

"No. I simply felt it best to be inconspicuous," said Yukiko. "Leader Erika has not been most friendly to us from the start. She has declared that there have been no problems in Celedon City regarding this matter, and therefore does not wish to speak on the subject to anyone. Any efforts on my part to ask questions are regarded as attempts to stir up trouble. I eventually decided to watch and wait from a more distant vantage point."

"You mean you decided to go live in a tree before someone sicced one on you," Laine summed up.

"An accurate summation," Yukiko agreed. "I have been forced to be circumspect. My Pokemon must be my eyes and ears within the city, and I confine myself to watching the road. I am thankful that everything has been quiet here. It is doubtful that my interference would have any great effect on a real emergency."

"So you haven't gotten much done, huh?" Laine asked.

"Very little," he agreed. "Erika seems placid, but that does not mean she is easily swayed. It would be easier to convince a tree to walk from one end of the city to another, than to convince her to change her mind."

"I guess it doesn't matter much anyway," said Aurora. "We know almost everything we need to know except exactly where the Psychic is hiding. We've just got to find a way to get to him. Ember's gone into the city to talk to some people and see if he can learn anything. We're supposed to meet up with him later."

"What time do you expect him back?" Yukiko asked.

"Oh, he's not coming back. We're going to go meet him at the Pokemon Mansion a bit later," said Aurora.

"I see," Yukiko replied. "And how were you planning on getting in there?"

"Er... through the gate?" she answered uncertainly.

Yukiko shook his head. "Your pardon, but I believe that would be difficult, if not impossible. All entrances to the city are tightly closed to strangers. It may be that the honorable Dragon Master has his methods of getting in undetected, but one such as yourself may find it more difficult."

"Maybe we could fly...?"

"Not during the daylight hours, unless you wish to be seen," said Yukiko.

"Why doesn't Ember think of things like this _before_ we need to know 'em?" Laine muttered. "Now he's in there and we're stuck out here! Ah, forget it. All we need to do is meet Ember and go, right? Let's just get in there somehow and not worry about it."

"You would be noticed at once," Yukiko pointed out, "particularly if you attempted to enter by forceful means. I have a better way. If you would permit me to escort you..."

"We'd appreciate any help you could give us," said Aurora.

Yukiko nodded his head in the best approximation of a bow he could give in the cramped quarters. "It will be my honor."

He crept out of the tent and beckoned for the girls to follow him. Aurora crept after him, and once again found her hair catching on all the leaves and twigs she had picked out the first time through. She bore up stolidly and told herself she could have a long, long shower after all this was over. Laine typically didn't seem to mind, but then, she was probably used to that sort of thing.

Yukiko led them deeper into the forest, well out of the range where anyone could have seen them from the road or the gatehouse. Only the most determined Pokemon hunter would have delved this deeply into the wild, but Yukiko seemed to know where he was going. He eventually led them to a large tree, its trunk gnarled by long years and spiraled by thick vines. A few of its branches passed over roof of a nearby house. As the group drew nearer, Yukiko grabbed onto a knot on the tree and scurried up its side like some kind of large insect. He stopped on the first large branch and looked down.

"Well?" he asked. "What are you waiting for?"

"I don't climb trees," said Laine, crossing her arms and looking stubborn. "I keep my feet on the ground, thank you very much!"

"Oh, come on," said Aurora. She had already responded to Yukiko's encouragement by walking up to the base of the tree, and she was now setting her hands to some of the vines and beginning to hoist herself up. "There are plenty of handholds."

"I don't care. It's fine for you skinny little people, but I'm not climbin' no tree!"

Scar hissed impatiently and pecked at her backside. Laine yelped, causing Aurora to giggle and Yukiko to chuckle quietly. Scar hissed again. Laine gave him a dirty look, but apparently even she didn't want to argue with that beak of his, so she trudged reluctantly up to the tree and began trying to scale it. She was shorter and thicker-bodied than either Aurora or Yukiko, making it harder for her to reach some of the hand- and foot-holds available, but she managed in the end. Soon all three of them were perched on a thick tree branch, while Scar flapped up and perched on a limb above them.

"There. That was easy," said Yukiko.

"Easy for you to say," Laine muttered.

Yukiko got up and began walking along the tree branch, apparently careless that the ground was more than twenty feet below him, and that the branch was less than a foot wide and narrowed considerably the further from the trunk he got.

"This way," he said.

"What do I look like, a tightrope walker?" Laine said, eyeing the branch with distrust.

"It is not necessary to walk," said Yukiko.

"Don't worry," Aurora assured her friend. "If you fall, Scar will catch you."

"Fear, fear," said Scar loftily.

Aurora stuck her tongue out at him. "You would too!"

Yukiko walked over the city wall and jumped off the branch, landing lightly on the roof of the nearest building.

"Come along - hurry," he ordered. "Before someone sees us and wonders why we're on this roof."

Aurora did her best to hurry, tiptoeing along the branch, holding her arms to steady herself. Fortunately, she had a good sense of balance and a good head for heights, things that seemed to be inherent to bird-speakers like herself. Laine, on the other hand, didn't even try to walk, and scooted along the branch on her stomach, with arms and legs wrapped firmly around the branch. Scar hopped along on the branch above her, croaking encouragement. It still took some doing to get everyone onto the roof without falling. From there, Yukiko showed them how to climb from the roof of the house to the top of a garage, and then jump down onto a dumpster in a nearby alley.

"And here we are, safe and sound," he said, bowing to both of them. "Has my service been acceptable?"

Aurora had to stifle a giggle at his seriousness. "Perfect. Now all we have to do is get to the Pokemon Mansion. That shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Allow me to escort you," said Yukiko. He slipped off his face mask so that he looked slightly less outlandish. "The least I can do is see you safely to your destination and make sure you find your friend Ember. If he has encountered any hostility, it might be best to have some help with you."

"I'm sure he can take care of himself," said Aurora, and then reconsidered. "Then again, a little extra help never hurt."

"Very well. I shall be your tour guide," Yukiko replied.

Sure enough, as soon as they walked out of the alley, he began chattering in an unusually loud and cheerful voice, pointing out the sights as the girls walked obediently in his wake. Laine took out her camera and snapped a few pictures, just for form's sake. Scar, predictably, refused to play along, and hopped along muttering to himself.

_He thinks everyone is being very stupid,_ Mew told Aurora.

_I know,_ she replied. _He's not very good at human subtleties. He thinks we ought to be just telling everyone we meet what's going on instead of laying low._

_You should. All the Pokemon know what's going on, by now. They feel the danger. Why can't the humans know it? It's their Pact, too._

_I guess they just don't remember anymore,_ Aurora thought back. _It's just a legend to us, after all._

_It isn't,_ Mew insisted. _You just think it is. That isn't the same thing._

It was hard to argue with that logic, so Aurora stayed quiet and obediently looked where Yukiko was pointing and pretended to be interested. Instead, she looked at the people around her, wondering what was going through their minds. Were they looking more worried than normal? Were there fewer people out playing and enjoying themselves than there should have been?

"...and this is the Pokemon Mansion," said Yukiko, cutting into her thoughts. "Impressive, yes?"

Aurora looked up. She was almost surprised to find herself standing before a handsome building with many floors, its windows gleaming cheerfully in the sunlight. Aurora wasn't one to be over-impressed with big buildings, but this was a pretty one, and deserving of its name. She had seen pictures of it before but had never seen it in person, and for a moment she forgot why she had wanted to come there in the first place. Laine nudged her.

"You gonna go in, or just stand here an' stare?" she asked.

"Oh, er... I'll go inside," said Aurora, pulling herself back into the present moment. "Aren't you coming with me?"

"Nah," said Laine, grinning. "You can talk to your boy in privacy. Anyway, I wanna take some pictures. You won't be gone long, right?"

"I guess not," Aurora replied.

"I will guard her, never fear," said Yukiko. It was hard to tell if he was joking or not. "We won't go far."

Aurora nodded, feeling slightly nervous at being expected to wander alone in this large building but not eager to show weakness by complaining about it. All she had to do was go inside and find Ember. Right. She could do that. With Scar trotting reassuringly at her side, she stepped through the doors.

It was pleasant inside, elegantly furnished and beautifully cool after the heat of the city streets. A quick scan of the first floor showed her nothing of interest - the area seemed to be empty of people, only a few Pokemon milling about and looking restless. A sign on the wall suggested that the upper floors were open to tourists, so she headed up the stairs to the next floor. This one had a number of desks and computers set out, and lots of people working on them. They didn't seem to notice she was there; all of them were typing busily on some project or another. There was no sign of Ember there, either, but surely if he'd come this way, someone here would have seen him. Aurora picked out one of them who seemed friendly enough, a young-looking woman with strawberry-blonde hair and square-framed glasses, and walked over to her. The woman was typing busily, apparently oblivious to everything around her. Her desk was extrordinarily messy, strewn with papers, CDs, playing cards, empty soda cans, paperback novels, playing cards, and other mysterious items. Perhaps it was the mess that made her seem so approachable.

"Er, hello?" said Aurora.

The woman looked up at her and smiled. "Hi there! You're Aurora, right?"

"Yes," said Aurora, taken aback. "Have you... heard of me?"

"Of course I have," the woman replied. "I'm the writer! I wrote you! See?"

She waved at her computer screen, and Aurora leaned closer for a better look. She read, _Aurora stood silently, looking up into the man's careworn face, thinking to herself that this was the man she had come so far to see..._

The woman put her hand on the screen.

"Sorry!" she said. "No fair peeking at the ending! You have to figure that part out on your own."

Aurora sighed; it had been worth trying to sneak a peek.

"If you're looking for Ember," the writer continued, "he's on the top floor. Just keep going up - you can't miss him."

Aurora nodded and murmured her thanks. She retreated to the stairs, blinking a bit as she tried to clear her mind. For some reason, she felt strangely fuzzy-minded. By the time she reached the top of the steps, she had forgotten the entire conversation.

The stairs culminated in a tiny room, barely more than a large hallway. Aurora was disappointed; she had been expecting something more dramatic to see after all those stairs, but all there appeared to be up here was this narrow room and an unassuming door that looked like it might lead to a closet, or maybe a small storage room. However, the room also held Ember, and that was the important thing. He was talking to another man in a dark jacket.

"...and the word is that all the doors and windows were closed and latched from the inside," the stranger was saying. "Nothing was broken. No signs of locks being picked, from what I was told. It's like whoever it was just walked through the walls."

"I can't say I'm all that surprised," answered Ember grimly. "Is that all you were able to uncover?"

"We did our best," said the other man, a bit defensively. "We've tried to get closer to the Silver Mountains, but..."

"But what?"

"We keep getting lost."

Ember scowled. "You must be joking. How can you get lost on the way to the Silver Mountains? It isn't as if you can miss them."

"I know that. Everyone knows that. But it keeps happening. No matter what we do, every time anyone gets close, they get confused, somehow, and wind up going the wrong direction. It's not natural. A lot of the men are starting to talk superstition."

"It figures," Ember muttered. "Well, no matter. I planned to make the journey myself, anyway; I'll see what happens when I get there."

Aurora cleared her throat. Ember looked up.

"I knew you were there," he informed her. "It's rude to interrupt."

"I didn't interrupt. It's rude to ignore people," she replied. "Anyway, you told me to meet you here and I did. It would have been nice if you'd checked to make sure I wasn't going to have trouble getting in."

"You got in anyway," Ember pointed out. He turned to the other Rocket. "I've heard all I need to hear. You are dismissed." His follower saluted and scampered off.

"What was that all about?" Aurora asked. "Something about a locked door...?"

Ember's mouth was set in a grim line. "There's been another killing. Not on the road this time – inside the trainer's home. The door was closed and locked, and nothing showed any signs of being tampered with. To me, that reads like a message. Our Psychic wants the world to know that hiding from him won't keep us safe. He's making his presence known. Either he feels secure enough in his power that he doesn't mind letting the world know what's behind these killings, or..."

"Or what?"

"Or he's scared. That's what I think it is. We've got him frightened enough to feel like he has to make a dramatic strike back. He's lost his right-hand man. His plot to cause strife among the Gym Leaders fell through. He has to put all his cards on the table now and do something so dramatic that it will throw the whole continent into an uproar, even if it means running a risk of giving himself away. The good news is that this is looking to be his last-ditch effort. The bad news is..."

"The bad news is that he doesn't have to wait for people to go out into secluded places anymore," Aurora finished. "He can pick off anyone he wants to now, even if they're safe in their homes. Even Gym Leaders. Even Champion Lance."

"Right," Ember said. "Which means this has to stop fast, before he has that chance. Which means there isn't a lot of time to get organized."

"So we're leaving, then?" Aurora asked.

Ember sighed. "I'm not sure how much good it will do. If what my reports tell me is true, then there's some kind of aura of confusion over that section of the mountains. I suppose a Psychic can do that kind of thing."

"Like the one around Sabrina's Gym," Aurora murmured.

"Something like that. Anyway, I don't see why we'd have any luck when my professional scouts couldn't get by it."

"We have to try anyway," said Aurora. "We have Mew with us - I'm sure he can help. We can't just give up. We've got to try everything we can."

"That's your solution to everything," Ember grumped. "'Just try it and see, maybe something will work out!' But I don't suppose trying is a worse option than what will happen if nobody does anything. All right. How do you propose we get ourselves to the Silver Mountains? I don't know anything about mountain climbing, do you?"

Aurora thought. "Well..."

* * *

"I would be honored to help," said Yukiko, when Aurora told him about her idea. "Pryce has taught my sister and me everything he knows about survival in the mountains. You could not pick a better guide."

"I could have thought of this," Ember muttered.

"Sure you could. You jus' keep tellin' yourself that, buddy," said Laine, sniggering.

"You would have thought of it. I just thought of it first," said Aurora.

Yukiko ignored the bickering.

"Do any of you have money?" he asked. "There are things I would like to have on hand if we are to climb any mountains safely, and I did not bring them. We will have to go shopping, I think."

"I'll take care of the money issues," said Ember. "Just show me what you need."

Yukiko bowed politely in acceptance and beckoned for everyone to follow him. Ember marched alongside him, apparently doing his best to look like all of this were his responsibility after all. Aurora felt a bit sorry for him - he was so used to being the leader! Following someone else's lead had to be difficult for him.

As she began to trail along after her friends, her gaze strayed to the horizon. It was probably a trick of her imagination, but she thought she could make out the hazy tips of the mountains many miles in the distance.

_You just wait,_ she thought. _You won't be able to keep us out. One way or the other, I'm coming for you! You just wait!_

* * *

Alistair leaned heavily back in his chair, so exhausted that it was all he could do to keep himself from sliding to the floor. That would show them. That would show them all that he was serious in his mission, and that he would let nothing stop him as long as he could take them all down with him. If he could leave the Pokemon League in chaos, he wouldn't mind leaving. But first he needed to rest. Picking off that last trainer had been more difficult than usual, since part of his energy was no being funneled into the confusion shields. He had no one he could rely on now, besides himself, so he would have to be prepared. They would come looking for him soon.

_I'm ready for you._

**To Be Continued...**


	11. Stage Eleven The Pact

**Stage 11 - The Pact**

**By: SilvorMoon**

Aurora was trying not to complain. She really had thought she was in better shape than this, and it was disconcerting to find out otherwise. Being an Apprentice Gym Leader wasn't physically taxing work (unless perhaps you were a Fighting-type master like Bruce) and most of the long distance traveling she did was accomplished with the help of her birds, and even all the walking she'd done lately had been done mostly on smooth, flat, well-traveled roads. Picking her way through rough, uncharted mountains was something else again. She envied the way that Yukiko and Ember were able to move so effortlessly over the rough terrain. Even Laine stomped along in her sturdy boots and didn't seem to be bothered by the effort of having to clamber up steep slopes or pick her way through brambles. Aurora seemed to be the only one who was feeling the strain, and she tried to hide it as best she could, even as she fell further and further behind the rest of the group. Scar abandoned the skies long enough to hop along beside her, croaking encouragement.

"Fear, fear, fear?"

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't think that would work."

"Fear fear?"

"Yes, I'm sure. If you carried me, it would be too easy to get separated from everyone else."

Scar considered a moment, and then flapped up to the front of the group to trot along next to Ember instead. When Ember failed to notice him, he snaked his head around and dealt a few sharp pecks to Ember's hindquarters.

"Agh! What do you think you're doing?" Ember yelped.

Scar hissed at him. Ember scowled back.

"Aurora, can't you keep this feathered monstrosity under control for... oh," he finished lamely, as he caught sight of Aurora. "All right, I get your point. Yukiko, how far are we from our destination?"

"I'm not sure," Yukiko admitted, giving his map a perplexed look. "I thought we would have made more progress by now, but... I somehow find I am disoriented."

Ember sighed. "Fine, then. I guess we can afford to take a breather."

"I'm sorry," said Aurora, as she drew nearer. "I didn't tell him to do it."

"Well, you should have. Anyone can see you're worn out," Ember said. "I would have noticed if my mind hadn't been occupied. Sit and catch your breath while Yukiko figures out where in blazes we are."

"Aw shucks," Laine muttered. "That means we gotta waste more time. I thought we were in a hurry."

"There's only so much that can be done at the moment," said Ember. "Since our guide apparently doesn't know where he is at present, we might as well rest while we let him sort himself out." Nevertheless, he remained standing, prowling the area as if he thought there might be a clue lying out on the ground.

Aurora dropped gratefully onto a nearby stone and rubbed at her tired legs. She really would have liked to have been able to keep up better with the others. It was a little embarrassing, really. Still, as long as there was a good excuse...

"I know where we are," said Yukiko, looking a bit hurt. "I know exactly where we are. I know exactly where I am trying to lead you. It is only the matter of navigating from here to there that is causing difficulties."

"Well, some people kinda like straight lines..." Laine drawled.

Yukiko glared at her. "I have been attempting to lead us as directly as is possible, considering the terrain. It should not be a difficult matter, but... I find it hard to explain. My sense of direction fails me as we draw closer to the goal, and I find myself going astray." He held his hands up in a helpless gesture.

"The same thing happened to my men," Ember grumbled. "I was hoping they were just being stupid, as usual. It has to be that Psychic's doing."

"Like around Sabrina's Gym," said Laine. "The thing that made everybody not want to go inside."

_There is such a thing in this place,_ Mew told Aurora. _Someone put a lot of work into it. I don't think you four can get past it the way you did with Sabrina's._

_Can you find your way through it?_ Aurora asked.

_Sure I could! He's just a human,_ came the slightly disdainful answer. _Any Psychic Pokemon could sneak through this. It's just you humans who have problems. It's just that if I put my energy into helping you find your way through the shield, I won't be able to protect you from his notice. I thought it was more important to keep you all safe, so he doesn't find you._

_It is, and I'm grateful,_ Aurora replied. _It just doesn't help us get un-lost._

_Try something else,_ Mew suggested.

_That's easy for you to say._

_Think about it._ Mew's presence in her mind faded, and she scowled. Why did the little creature have to drop hints instead of telling her things directly? Either that, or he just didn't know any solutions. It was hard to tell with him. Still, Aurora wasn't about to let herself be balked by something like this when they were so close to their goal. As she half-listened to Ember and Yukiko debating their next move, she stared thoughtfully up into the sky. There didn't seem to be a lot of Pokemon around. Off in the distance, she could just barely make out the black shape of a Murkrow.

_Hmm..._ She ran her fingers over her Pokeballs, considering. Then she stood up.

"All right, I think I've got it!" she declared.

"Got what?" asked Ember, looking at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"I've figured out how to get past the block," she said.

Ember raised an eyebrow. "Enlighten us."

In response, Aurora flipped open a Pokeball and released Berry. The little bird fluttered around dazedly, chattering to himself.

"A Natu?" asked Yukiko. "How will that help us? I am sure you have raised it well, but I am not sure that this is a situation where baby birds will be useful."

"That's where you're wrong," Aurora answered. "He's exactly what we need - not just a bird, but a Psychic bird. He can find his way through the shield for us without getting confused. He can tell me which way is the right way, so I'll follow him and you'll follow me, and we'll all get there sooner or later."

"What if the Psychic guy does his thing and gets you all confuzzled, so you can't follow directions, huh?" asked Laine. "Then what?"

"I'm not sure that's likely to happen," Ember replied. "For all he might be able to make us doubt our own senses of direction to make us wander around in the wilderness, I doubt he could break the bond between a Pokemon and its trainer. If he could find a way to do that, I think he would have done it by now."

"Exactly," Aurora replied. She smiled a bit. Rusty had told her that it had been foretold that the mission would fail if she didn't take a Natu chick with her, and now it was turning out to be true. "Come on, Berry. Be a brave little bird, and show us where the bad man is hiding."

"Natu, natu?"

"Yes, you can have a berry if you find him," Aurora agreed. "Just be quick about it, okay? We don't have a lot of time to waste."

"Natu!" He took off with a whir of wings, flying his very fastest - which was something like the same pace as a person walking quickly. Aurora winced as she forced her tired legs into motion again. The trouble with things that could fly was that they could move in straight lines, whereas she had to dodge around whatever was in her way to keep up with him. She didn't stop to see if anyone was following her until she reached the top of a largish boulder that was in her way, and turned around to begin climbing down again. Everyone else was still staring at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked. "Come on already."

In response to her question, Yukiko shrugged and started walking. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the rest of the group.

"She's no more or less lost than I am; I may as well follow her," he replied.

The rest of the group, finding themselves in danger of being left behind by their guide, hurried to catch up.

Berry flew straight on toward something that seemed to draw him like a magnet, and Aurora followed him. As she trudged onward, she felt a growing sense of confusion. Surely this was the right way, but... she'd seen that shrub before, hadn't she? Or had she? No, she was certain she'd been past that outcropping of rocks before. Hadn't she scraped her knee on that boulder? She shook herself. Of course she couldn't be imagining things; she had to be going the wrong way. She should turn around, backtrack, go find an alternate route... And then there came into her mind a different feeling, something that wasn't quite possible to put into words. It was the simple trust of a baby Pokemon who was too young and innocent to know the ways of fear and self-doubt. He only knew that his trainer had told him to do a task for her, and he would do it to the very best of his ability. The messages he sent her were of continued affirmation: he knew where the place she wanted was, and he was leading her to it. All she had to do was follow him. The longer she followed him, the easier it became, for the more confused she became about her surroundings, the harder it was to think of which direction she ought to go next, and the easier it was to follow someone who looked like he knew where he was going.

Gradually, the ground began to slant more steeply, and there were fewer trees. They were now well and truly on their way up the side of a mountain, and the going slowed as they picked their way up the slope. Finding hand and foot-holds on the side of the mountain was difficult in their addled state, but Berry did what he could to show everyone the way, and Laine, taking a leaf from Aurora's book, released her Espeon to help her find the way. Yukiko did his part by taking a rope and tying them all together, so they could anchor each other if one of them fell, and so no one would wander off in a daze and be lost. Even so, it was a slow and difficult climb.

And suddenly it ceased to be so difficult, because two things happened. One was that the fog of confusion lifted with an abruptness that left everyone reeling. The second was that they found themselves standing on a gravel-strewn road, which curved gently up the side of the mountain.

"Well, that's helpful," said Laine, looking speculatively up the path. "Easier'n climbin', anyways."

"I don't trust it," Ember muttered. "It's too easy. It could be a trap."

"That may be so," Yukiko replied, "but then again, it may not. Did our Psychic not have a helper who took orders from him? I am sure I heard words to that effect at some point."

Aurora nodded. "It was Blaine."

"Well, there you have it. He was hardly a man in his prime, and not much for physical exertion. He must have had some way of conferring with his master that did not involve laborious climbs. Perhaps this is his path."

"I still don't like it," said Ember.

"Like it or not, we're going to have to use it," Aurora replied. "Look at those cliffs! Between the road and that, I'll take the road, thanks."

Ember looked at the cliffs and agreed that, now that he thought about it, they were a bit sheer for climbing. Since there was no other choice if they wanted to continue their progress, they gathered their courage and walked determinedly up the path.

Whatever traps there might have been along this path, it still turned out to be, at least for a short distance, an excellent way to get up the mountain. It moved in a gradual spiral, never slanting so steeply that it would tax a person's strength too much, and it was smooth and easy to walk on. As they climbed higher, it also offered a clear view of their surroundings. Aurora shaded her eyes and stared off into the distance. She was fond of high places, and under any other circumstances, the view would have been enchanting. Even as it was, she was reluctant to look away and turn her attention to the top of the mountain. Ember noticed her.

"Your eyes are sharp," he said. "What do you see up there?"

"There's something that looks like the corner of a building," she said. "See? On the right, there. There's a square building made of white stone."

"I don't see it, but I'll take your word for it," Ember replied. "We must be getting close... and if we can see where he is, I don't doubt he can see us even more clearly. We'll have to proceed with extra caution. I'm surprised he hasn't already tried some-"

The rest of what he was going to say was cut off by a loud _snap_ and a lavender flash, as if lightning had struck among them. Aurora heard Mew's voice cry out in a high-pitched squeal, but she couldn't react to it because something had slammed into her hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. The rope securing her to her friends dissolved itself like tissue paper in water, and she went plummeting over the edge.

For a split-second, she didn't know what was going on. Then she looked and saw the ledge dropping away from her and her friends staring in horror as they fell. Then she realized that they were still and _she_ was falling. That was when she found her breath and screamed.

The next thing she felt was a powerful jolt in the region of her shoulders, and her descent slowed as Scar labored to lift her up again. A smaller tug in back was Berry trying valiantly (though not accomplishing much) to lift her by her belt-loops. As they gently deposited her back on solid ground, she hugged both of them, trembling, until Ember pushed them away to kneel in front of her and grip her shoulders.

"I thought I told you not to scare me like that again," he said.

She managed to smile sheepishly. "Sorry, but it wasn't my fault! Blame _him._" She pointed up the mountain.

"I will, up close and personally, as soon as I can find him," Ember replied.

"I'm sorry," piped up a small voice. "I tried my best..."

Everyone turned to look at Mew, who had chosen that moment to make himself visible. Curiously, Aurora glanced at Yukiko to see how he was reacting, and saw him looking with more appreciation than surprise; obviously it took more than just seeing a legendarily rare Pokemon to impress him.

"I tried to protect you all," he said, seeing that everyone was now paying attention to him, "but he's a lot stronger from here than he was in Lavender Town. And I made a mistake."

"I'll say you made a mistake," Ember snapped. "Aurora almost got killed! What kind of protection do you call that?"

"It was a mistake," said Mew. "I thought he was coming after all of you, but he was only attacking her."

A chill settled over the group at this pronouncement. It was broken by Laine saying, "Maybe you'd better go back, Rora. If this kook wants to smush you in particl'ar, it might not be the best idea to go walkin' up to his doorstep and introducin' yourself to 'im."

"What good would leaving do?" she replied. "Wouldn't that just make it easier for him to get at me, without all of you with me? It's not like I can get away from him, not without going all the way back to Johto, or even further than that, if he'd even let me go that far. No, if he's aiming for me in particular, it means he must be afraid of me the most."

"Or he's just aiming for the weakest link," Yukiko offered. Everyone glared at him. "What? It is a possibility. Between a Dragon Master, two experienced mountaineers, and an Apprentice birdkeeper, who would you think was at the greatest disadvantage?"

"I'm going to keep going anyway," said Aurora. She stood up, and found her legs to be a bit shaky, but still useable. "I'm _fine_, really."

"She's a stubborn one," said Ember to nobody in particular. "It's probably best to give her what she wants."

When Aurora began walking again, he walked next to her, closer than he had been before.

_You know, it will be much harder to protect you with him standing so close to you,_ Mew said in her mind.

_You can still do it, though, can't you?_ she asked.

_Probably._

_Then let's not tell him._

And still they went up. The road twisted more sharply around as they went higher up, so that they almost became dizzy. Aurora found that she had to look at her feet as she walked to avoid being stricken with vertigo. At last, the ground leveled, and they found themselves standing in front of a small, square building. It was made of the same stone as the mountain it was perched upon, looking less as if it had been built and more as if it had been sculpted by a particularly artistic mountain wind. It had a slightly peaked roof and a row of columns around it, so that it resembled a minor Greek temple. Removing any and all doubt that they'd found what they were looking for, there was a mark carved above the door that exactly matched the strange Badge Aurora had found.

"We're here," she said. "It looks like we all made it here alive, after all." She meant to sound confident and offhand, but a cold mountain wind whipped her words away and made them sound weak and empty.

"He's waiting for us," Ember said.

"Perhaps we had better have our Pokemon readied?" Yukiko suggested. He looked speculative at Scar, Berry, Sunset, and Mew. "He doesn't seem to like hurting those as much as he likes hurting humans."

"We'll call them out if it becomes necessary," Ember replied. "I don't like using Pokemon to attack someone. There are rules about that kind of thing."

"He's right," said Mew approvingly. He seemed much more enthused about the endorsement than really seemed necessary, and his human companions looked at him quizzically. He flipped himself upside down in a Mew-ish equivalent of a shrug.

"It's the Pact," he said. "You just don't do things that way. But I don't think _he_ knows that." He gestured with his tail towards the door.

"I'm a little old to believe in fairy tales about the Pact," Ember replied.

"It's not a fairy tale," said Mew, sounding hurt. "We just don't talk about it much."

"Whatever," said Ember. "Let's just go inside and get this over with."

They climbed a short set of steps up to the door, and found that it opened creakily, revealing a dark hallway. They went inside. It was chilly and bleak within the building; clearly whoever had built it had not been thinking much about creature comforts, for the walls, floor, and ceiling were all of the same featureless gray stone, without so much as a carpet or a few paintings to enliven it. Doors lined either side of the corridor, which, when they were opened, revealed dark and cheerless rooms, some lit only by guttering candles, while others were completely black within. A sense of sadness pervaded everything. It was as if the Psychic's powerful sense of grief had soaked into the very stones. Aurora could feel it stealing into her mind: a feeling that whatever happiness life had to offer was gone...

_No wonder he went crazy, up here brooding all alone,_ she thought. There seemed to be something heavy in the air that was keeping everyone from speaking. It was hard for her to keep her mind focused on the fact that the depression in this place was someone else's and not her own. Scar preened her hair encouragingly, and she gave him a wan smile.

At the far end of the hallway, they came to another door, identical to the first, with the same sign carved above it. There was a thin crack of light slipping beneath it. The trainers looked at each other for encouragement, and at last, they reached forward together and pushed it open. This door swung freely with the silence that came from much use, and everyone winced as sudden light struck their eyes. Aurora, whose eyes were the best, adjusted first, and stepped into the room before anyone could think to stop her.

This was the first room they had found that had windows in it, and light streamed in from what seemed like all directions. There was nothing to obstruct it, for there were no furnishings in this room. All that it held was a single stone pedestal with a half-spherical crystal perched on top of it. There was a name carved into it, and Aurora read it aloud.

"Morpheus."

"Yes," answered a voice.

Aurora jumped and looked around. At last her gaze settled on a faint shadow that stood between two of the windows, mostly obscured by the sheets of sunset light that blazed on either side of him. He stepped closer, and Aurora held her breath as he came into view.

Her first thought was that he did not look like a killer. He was tall and thin, with a quantity of untidy blond hair, which showed signs of receding on either side of widow's peak. His face was thin, fine-boned, and intelligent - she could see how he must have been handsome, many years ago, before time and grief had etched those deep lines into his brow and around his mouth. His clothes were blue and white and gold, made of fine, soft-looking cloth, but it had been worn threadbare, and looked as if it had been made for a broader, more muscular frame. Aurora stood silently, looking up into the man's careworn face, thinking to herself that this was the man she had come so far to see...

"You are the white bird," he said softly. "The one whose fate is to decide mine."

"I don't know about that," she said, "but I am Aurora Cummings, Gym Leader Falkner's Apprentice. Are you Alistair Whitehand?"

"I was once the Gym Leader Alistair. Not anymore." He raised his eyes to look at her companions. "You all should come in. I can't see you so well from here. My eyes are not what they used to be."

In response, Ember strode bravely forward.

"Do you know who I am, Alistair Whitehand?" he asked, and his deep voice echoed around the room. "I am Gym Leader Ember, of Blackthorn Gym. In the Pokemon League I am second only to the Elite Four and Lance himself. By that authority, I place you under arrest for crimes against the Pokemon League. You have this one chance to come peacefully, or else I will have to use force."

Ember stood proudly and stared straight into the Psychic's eyes. He was nearly as tall as Alistair, and a good deal more muscular. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that if it came down to a contest of strength, Ember would have no problem in forcing the other man to follow him.

Alistair laughed, a dry, cracked sound, but his eyes stayed dark.

"You will force me, Dragon Master?" he said softly. "Have you power to match my own, then? I know all about you, Ember Greensward. You have more power than is good for you, and it is burning you out. You are a flame that burns brightly and is quickly consumed. You would have been happier if you had never become a trainer. What has Pokemon training brought you, except burdens and pain? You don't know what you're doing and you're in too deeply to get out again. You ought to thank me for doing you the favor of removing you from your seat of power, so you don't have to worry about how to relieve yourself of your burdens."

"That isn't true," said Aurora. "Ember is loyal to the Pokemon Leauge."

"You say that because you trust him," Alistair replied. "I say what I say because I am a Psychic, and I can see his innermost thoughts. His mind is filled with worry for the future... and about you. I say again, it would have been better if he'd never become a trainer, and so would have never fallen in love with a girl who doesn't love him."

Ember blushed brilliantly, but his voice was steady as he said, "Be that as it may, I did become a trainer and I did meet her and I did follow her here to you - and you are still a murderer and you are still under arrest."

"I, a murderer?" Alistair gave his creaky laugh again. "The whole lot of you are murderers! You are slave drivers who capture innocent creatures and drive them to their deaths! I realized it too late to save my Morpheus from his cruel fate, but I can save the rest of the Pokemon. I can put a stop to this barbarism once and for all! I will destroy the Pokemon League and put an end to Pokemon training forever. I will make it so no Pokemon will have to suffer as my Morpheus did."

"Pssh!" said Laine scornfully. "You're gonna make it so as no more Pokemon are gonna die, huh? It'll be real easy, huh? Just get rid of the big, bad ol' Pokemon League and everything'll be hunky-dory. And I'm a murderer 'cause I'm in the League, so you gotta get rid of me. Huh. My mom died from gettin' sick. Why'n'cha get rid of all the germs so nobody gets sick anymore, huh? My dad died from freezin' in the snow. Why'n'cha make it so it doesn't snow anymore? Heck, my grandpa's prob'ly gonna die in bed of old age. Why'n'cha make it so nobody gets old anymore? If all that stuff makes people die, then all that's murderers, too. Pssh! Murderer, my butt."

"You talk too much," said Alistair. He waved a hand, and the stone on the pedestal flashed. Laine yelped as she was forced off her feet and slammed into the hard stone walls. She fell to the floor with a sickening thud.

"Laine!" Aurora cried, and rushed towards her, but Yukiko got there first.

"She is alive," he said, "only stunned. Maybe I can..." He reached for his PokeGear and took out a healing potion.

"I think not," Alistair said, and the bottle leaped from Yukiko's hands and threw itself out the window. "I am a bit tired from my misjudged attack before. I am not sure I have the strength to kill you all, but I can stun you long enough to put your bodies out the window. If you fall from this height, it won't matter if I have the strength to kill you myself or not."

Aurora kneeled next to her unconscious friend. _Mew, why did you let this happen?_

_I'm tired too, you know!_ the little Pokemon protested. _He's a lot stronger up close than I thought he would be._

Yukiko, seizing a desperate chance, flung himself forward and aimed a kick that would have made his ninja ancestors proud at either the Psychic or the stone. Whatever he was aiming for, he missed, for his foot came in contact with something invisible, and he was thrown halfway across the room. He landed on his feet, but badly, and there was an uncomfortable popping sound as his legs gave out underneath him. He struggled to stand, but the effort was clearly too much for him, and he sank back down with a groan of pain.

"Aurora, get out of here!" said Ember wildly.

"What? No, I can't leave!"

"You have to! He's too much for us!" said Ember. "I'll keep him occupied - you get to safety! Go!"

He reached for one of his Pokeballs, but the Psychic flicked it away with a wave of his hand, and it bounced across the room to land in a corner.

"_Go!_" said Ember again, wildly.

Aurora couldn't move. She couldn't leave, even though Scar was pulling frantically at her clothing, urging her towards the door. She couldn't leave while her friends were lying stretched out on the floor, perhaps not to live much longer. She couldn't leave while Ember was still standing defiant, risking his life for her - no, more than that, because he knew he couldn't stand up to this madman.

"I really can't let either of you leave," said the Psychic calmly. "You all know too much, and you have too much influence. I've let you spoil my plans enough already. If I let you leave, you will only come back with someone like Sabrina or Will who would stand a chance against me. I can't have you ruining my plans, so you will understand why I can't let you out of this place alive."

With that, he made a flourish, and a wave of force rolled across the room. Ember braced himself against it, but it pushed him back. He was hurled off his feet and cracked his head against a windowsill. Aurora hurried to his side, and he raised his pain-filled eyes to look at her.

"Aurora," he said, his voice choked. "I..."

Whatever he meant to say, be it confession or apology, it died on his lips, for he'd passed out. Aurora turned on the Psychic, her eyes stinging with tears.

"How dare you," she said softly. "How can you do this and think there's anything right about it?"

"It is justice," Alistair replied. "Justice must be served, and vengeance must be taken for the innocent Pokemon who have died at the hands of their filthy trainers." He began walking towards her. "You will join your friends now. It won't hurt."

Aurora cast about wildly, seeking some idea, something that would save her so that she could save her friends, if it wasn't already... No, it couldn't be too late. It _would not_ be too late until she could no longer think otherwise. In the background, Scar hissed and crept angrily forward, looking as if he was ready to peck Alitair's eyes out.

"No, Scar, stay back!" she called.

"That's right," said Alistair. "I don't want to harm any Pokemon by accident."

It was then that Aurora seized on a desperate idea.

"My Pokemon!" she blurted out. "Before you kill me, let me say goodbye to my Pokemon!"

"As if they'd want to say goodbye to you!" Alistair scoffed. "But very well. I will grant you your request. You will hear from your own Pokemon the favor I am doing them by setting them free of you, and you can die knowing you did at least one thing right before the end."

With a flick of his wrist, Aurora's Pokeballs began to glow, and all of them burst open at once. Berry and Scar were now joined by Rusty, Frightful, Moondancer, and Blabberbeak, who gathered protectively around her. The Psychic was now under the scrutiny of a dozen sharp bird eyes.

"Well?" he asked. "Speak! Tell this trainer what you think of being held captive and forced to do battle for no reason than the entertainment of humans.

There was a deep ringing noise, the sound of Rusty's metallic laughter.

"Their entertainment?" he said. "What about ours?"'

Aurora was startled. She had always been able to hear Rusty's voice clearly in her mind, moreso than any of her other Pokemon. She was not, however, used to hearing his voice with her ears as well as her mind. She noticed the Psychic's stone was glowing softly, and realized that he must be doing something so that he could understand them all.

"Your entertainment?" Alistair repeated. "What do you mean?"

"Did you think Pokemon never fought each other at all, until humans came along?" Rusty said. "We did battle with each other long before the Brave and the Wise first spoke to us. It was Chie who first studied our abilities and learned how to match type against type, and it was Ichiko who first taught us rules and order, so that we would _not_ fight each other to the death."

"But - but they could have left you in the wild," said Alistair, plainly flustered. "Why did there ever have to be trainers and Pokemon Leagues and all of that? Don't you want your freedom?"

"_Kah!_" Scar spat. "You idiot. You don't know anything, do you? Do you look like I'm not free to you?" He spread his wings to their fullest extent. "I know what it's like to have a bad trainer. If I ever find the trainer who let me take this scar, I will peck his eyes out. But Aurora is a good trainer. She lets me have my freedom, and so I stay with her."

"She battles with honor," Rusty agreed. "She does not use undue force. She respects her Pokemon and her opponent. I chose to be trained by her because I knew she would do these things."

"My trainer is kind," said Frightful. "She was afraid of me, but she healed me anyway. I am stronger now because she was gentle to me."

"It is true I was given to her as a gift," said Moondancer, "but I watched her and her friend forgive each other, and I knew she would be kind to me."

"But... I don't understand," Alistair protested, aghast. "She captured you all - she forces you to do battle for her own enjoyment!"

"No," said Aurora. "I didn't capture them. Not one of them. My Pokemon stay with me because they choose to. They're my partners and my friends. And those other Pokemon whose trainers you stole from them were their trainers' partners and friends." Her voice rose as she finished, "And now you're taking my best friends away from me and I won't let you! As an Apprentice and a Master I have the right to arrest you and take you back to Indigo Plateau to be judged, and no matter what, I am going to do it!"

"No," said Alistair, still staring at her and her Pokemon in horror. "It can't ... be like this."

"Get lost!" Blabberbeak shouted at him.

"That's right. My sentiments exactly," Aurora said.

"You are all deluded!" Alistair shouted. "She has you deceived, but I can still finish this. I can make all of you forget you ever met her, and then I will put an end to this Pokemon training insanity..."

He began to turn around, reaching for his crystal, but no sooner had he done so, when Aurora threw one of her empty Pokeballs at him. It got under his feet and made him lose his balance, and he fell facedown on the floor in such an ungainly manner that Aurora thought for a moment he must have broken every bone in his body. Before he could begin to collect himself, there was another crash, and the stone pedestal tipped over. The Psychic could only watch as his crystal fell to the hard floor and shattered into uncountable pieces. Looking down on the mess was Mew, who blinked his blue eyes in a way that suggested he had no idea how it had happened.

"Oops!" he said. "Looks like I broke it."

"Broken... I can never mend this..." said Alistair. He crawled on his hands and knees toward the broken stone, cupping the pieces in his hands as if hoping they would fall together and become whole again at his touch. He looked up at the cause of the disaster. "You are Mew, the legendary ancient Pokemon. You are a part of this?"

"We're _all_ a part of it," said Mew. "All Pokemon are part of the Pact. Me especially, because I was there when it was made. Would you like to see? I can show it to you."

"Yes," said Alistair. "Help me to understand."

Mew nodded and closed his eyes. As Aurora watched, he began to glow, faintly at first, but then more and more brightly, until she could see nothing but pale pink light...

Then the pink light became the light of a sunrise, and Aurora found herself standing on a green hillside, looking down on a valley. Below her, she could see more green grass, and many flowers, and a broad lake. Many little pale shapes were flitting and diving in the water, and the sound of their laughter was like many faraway bells.

"What is this?" Aurora tried to ask, but her voice made no sound.

_This is my memory,_ Mew answered in her mind. _I am showing it to you, and to him. I am showing you how things were. This is where my home was, once, a long time ago._

Aurora stared down at the bright flitting shapes. _Then all of those Pokemon are...?_

_Like me. Mew._

Aurora said nothing, but only watched, enchanted. It was a trainer's dream to even see one Mew, even if it was only a glimpse. Seeing dozens, hundreds of them, was breathtaking.

_If only Laine could see this,_ she thought, and felt a pang, wondering for a moment if Laine would ever see anything again. She forced the thought out of her mind. Laine was still alive; she would get well. Aurora would believe that.

And then she forgot her worries as a shadow fell across the land. The green scent of growing things was blotted out by an acrid stench that made her eyes - or Mew's eyes, since these were his memories - water uncontrollably. A purple serpentine beast flew into the valley, breathing a cloud of poison over the land. The Mews gave a collective shriek of terror and scattered in all directions, but the dragon was as fast as they were. Aurora was shocked for a moment, until she realized what was happening.

_Do something! It's killing them!_

_I can do nothing,_ Mew answered. _This is a memory. They have been dead for hundreds of years._

_What is... was... that thing?_

_A Dragon/Poison Pokemon. I don't know how such a thing evolved, but it was very powerful. It killed many Pokemon, not just my kind. We all lived in terror of it_

Aurora was puzzled. _But... if it was a Poison-type, why didn't you fight back? Poison is weak against Psychic types, and there were so many of you - all of you together should have been enough to stop it..._

_We didn't know that. No one had seen the patterns in types and attacks before. Humans were too afraid of Pokemon to want to study them closely, more than it took to defend themselves against us... and Pokemon had not yet learned to associate with humans, so we had not yet learned human intelligence. We thought like animals, and what animals think when they see a foe larger and stronger than themselves, is to flee from it._

_So what happened?_

_The First Trainers came,_ Mew replied. _There had been some few other humans who had tamed Pokemon, to keep them as pets or to turn them into service animals, or even to befriend them, but Chie and Ichiko were the first to study us, the first to try to understand. They were the first to show affinities. They organized us, and gathered together the strongest Pokemon in the lands. Ichiko taught us strategies to defeat the Dragon, and Chie was the wise one who made the first PokeBall and sealed it away for all eternity. Look, look!_

The vision shifted, and Aurora found herself in a dark place... but not completely dark, because there were flickers of flame coming from here and there: the cave was filled as far as she could see with Pokemon, and some of them glowed with their own light. There were the fiery Pokemon, Entei, Moltres, and Groudon, and there were some, like Celebi, that gave off their own gentle glow. Aurora picked out the legendary birds, especially Articuno, with whom she had more familiarity than most people did. There were others there, too - some she knew by name, and others that were a mystery to her, and some she suspected had passed away into oblivion. They were all here now, though, looking down at the two humans standing in front of them.

They didn't look much like legends. They looked like people who had been on the road for far too long, who had been sleeping on the ground too often, and had been wearing the same clothes for days or weeks on end without the leisure of washing them. They looked scuffed and dirty and a bit underfed, but there was no doubt that these two were Ichiko and Chie, because every Pokemon in the room was watching them with reverent gazes. The boy was tall and slender, with a look of wiry strength about him. The girl was shorter and stockier, and there was something about her round, pleasant face and her alert eyes that reminded Aurora of Laine.

As Aurora watched, Ichiko stepped forward and placed a dark, roughly spherical object on the floor in the center of the cavern, kneeling as he did so.

"I bring to you the captive beast," he said. "He is sealed tightly. He will never escape."

"You have done us a great favor," said Lugia. "Not only by helping us defeat this creature, but by sharing with us your knowledge. It will be passed down from Pokemon to Pokemon for all generations, so that we will never again be at the mercy of a monster like this one."

"There's still a lot to learn," said Chie modestly. "We've only just begun to figure things out."

"You have made a beginning," said Entei. "We will learn together - humans and Pokemon. As you learn, you will train us, so that we can learn with you."

Groudon bowed his ponderous head. "That is the way it should be. We will be stronger together than we were apart. Would you agree, humans?"

"I can think of nothing I would like better," Ichiko replied, "than to spend my life together with Pokemon."

"Then so be it," said Rayquaza. "There will be a Pact! A pact of trust and honor between humankind and Pokemon-kind. Are we agreed on this?"

There were murmurs of accord from the gathered Pokemon. The great Dragon nodded.

"Then we, as representative of all Pokemon, do swear that as long as there are Pokemon, we will respect the bonds forged here between us and humanity."

"And we swear that as long as we live, we will endeavor to teach all humans to see Pokemon as friends and partners, so that as long as there are humans, we will share our knowledge and guidance with Pokemon."

"The Pact is made," said Celebi softly. "A promise that will last throughout all time. Humans will teach the Pokemon, and Pokemon will protect the humans, and both will serve each other."

"But that can't work all the time," said Chie. "I mean, it wouldn't be right for a Pokemon to obey somebody who didn't deserve it. Even if we _do_ go around teaching everyone we meet how to take care of a Pokemon, most humans still think Pokemon are monsters. How is a Pokemon supposed to tell who's safe to talk to and who isn't?"

"We should have some kind of a mark or a sign, that we could give to people who have learned how to respect Pokemon properly," said Ichiko, thoughtfully toying with a pin that was holding his jacket shut. "Maybe they could wear medals, or badges of some kind..."

"Don't be silly," said his sister. "Who would want to have to remember to wear a badge around everywhere they go? But it's not a bad idea until we can think of something better..."

The image faded, and Aurora was almost tempted to smile. Her fingers brushed the Badges she wore, thinking that apparently nobody had ever gotten around to thinking of something better. That was probably just how it was, with humans.

"That was how it was," said Mew, and for a moment, Aurora thought he was answering her, until she looked up and saw that he was addressing Alistair. "The bond between Pokemon and humans has existed since that day. Some people have abused that trust - there will always be a few bad humans, and a few bad Pokemon. Most have been faithful to it. You are the only one since the Pact was made to go so far in trying to break it. Do you understand what you did wrong?"

"I just... Morpheus was my best friend, and I let him die. I just didn't want any more Pokemon to be hurt because of careless trainers like me. I wanted to die for hurting him."

"You should not have made other people die," Mew said. "That was a bad thing. You can't make that right. You hurt all the Pokemon who promised to protect their trainers. That was a bad thing, too."

"I begin to understand that," said Alistair. "Nothing I have done has done any good. There is nothing else I can do that will make things better. I have failed." He sighed. "I give up. I will accept my punishment. Take me in."

"Well, that is very good," said a slightly strained voice in the background, "but hadn't someone better do something about us first?"

Aurora looked at Yukiko, who was still lying on the floor and still not showing any signs that he was able to get up. Other than a look of considerable pain on his face, he seemed in no danger of dying anytime soon.

"Oh, that's right!" Aurora yelped, hating herself for her own forgetfulness. She scrambled at her PokeGear, thinking to find a Potion and wondering if such a thing would actually do any good at this point.

"Don't worry," said Mew. "I'll fix them. _Restore!_"

Waves of pearly light emanated from him to settle on Yukiko, Laine, and Ember. Yukiko got up and stood on his two feet as if he couldn't quite believe they were still attached to him.

"That was remarkably effective," he said. "I did not realize that move worked on humans as well as Pokemon."

Against the far wall, Laine began to stir.

"Ugh," she said. "Ow. Whose Machoke did I make mad?"

Seeing that her friend was all right, Aurora hurried to Ember's side. There was still blood on the floor and in his hair, and he looked paler than usual. She shook his shoulder gently, and was relieved to see him stir a little.

"Ouch," he said with a wince. "Entei's breath, but that smarts."

"Ember, are you okay?" asked Aurora.

He opened his eyes and managed to get them to focus on her.

"Aurora..." he said softly, and then shook himself a little. "Somehow or another, you seem to have managed not to get yourself killed."

"It's okay," she told him. "We talked him out of it. It's all going to be okay now... but Ember, I thought he killed you, and I'm so happy you're okay..."

And she hugged him as best she could while he was lying down, and he put his arm around her and told her rather grumpily that he was perfectly all right and she didn't need to make his headache any worse by crying all over him, and of course she didn't listen. Laine and Yukiko looked at them both, shrugged, and, as the only coherent members of the Pokemon League left in the room, they did what they could about properly arresting the Psychic.

* * *

Everyone who was anyone in the Pokemon League, and quite a few people who weren't, came to the trials. There were quite a few of them, between dealing with the Gym Leaders that Alistair had influenced into treason, not to mention Alistair himself. The trials took up an entire day, from dawn to dusk, and left Aurora with no leisure to do anything but listen in on the endless discussions and debates and presentations of evidence, and occasionally putting in her own testimony when it was required. It was exhausting, and left her with no time to converse with any of the rest of her friends, no matter how much she would have liked to slip away and talk about something, anything, other than what had been going on recently. It vaguely amazed her that she had the energy to feel anything but relief when the final trial began to draw to a close.

"Alistair Whitehand," said Lance, from his position in the seat of judgement, "you stand accused of such crimes as have not been committed against the League, either in living memory or throughout recorded history. Have you any final words to say in your defense?"

"None, Champion Lance," Alistair replied, head bowed. Worn as he had looked when Aurora had first seen him, he looked ten times older now. "I realize the depths of my misdeeds. I ask for no pity or mercy. Whatever the League sees as fit punishment for me, I will accept willingly."

"That is good," Lance replied. "We have considered your case carefully. For crimes of this magnitude, the law is clear. The recommended penalty is death."

There was a murmur in the crowd - it was all but unheard of for such a sentence to be handed down by the Pokemon League. Alistair said only, "It is what I deserve."

"However," Lance continued, "we have taken into account that your grief and solitude had left you not in your right mind. We also have considered the fact that you were once a good Gym Leader, and did many great things in service of the Pokemon League. Therefore, we have agreed that you are to be spared death, and will instead be imprisoned for the remainder of your years, to be guarded and watched over to ensure that you will never turn your mind to doing anything like this ever again."

He struck his gavel and the case was dismissed. Alistair was led away, looking not particularly enthused by the fact that his life had been spared; he simply looked resigned to his fate. Aurora saw him for a moment before he vanished into the crowd.

Out in the lobby, things became more lively, as everyone shook off the gloom of the trials and began rushing about to chatter with old friends. Aurora found herself accosted by Laine.

"Somethin' about that just ain't right," were her first words. "He kilt all those people; he shoulda got as good as he gave."

"Champion Lance is a shrewd man," said Ember, who strolled up to stand next to Aurora. He was looking rather pleased with himself about something. "Alistair isn't going to live long anyway. He's not a young man anymore, and he has nothing else to live for. This way he has to live with his shame. In a way, this is harsher than killing him."

"Well, maybe so," Laine said grudgingly. "Still, it just ain't right."

"No," Aurora agreed, "but killing him won't make it right. It won't bring back the people he killed, any more than killing them brought back his Morpheus. I think it's better this way, making the dying stop here."

"Wise words," said Ember. "Maybe there is something in your head besides feathers."

"What's makin' you look so smug?" Laine asked him, seizing on a more cheerful line of conversation. "You two ain't engaged now, are ya?"

"Not hardly," Ember replied. "Champion Lance made the other members of the League - the ones who were accusing me - give me a formal apology. I have been given an official _re_induction as a Gym Leader, with high honors, and the grace period I asked for to get Team Rocket reorganized. Seems some people finally realized it might be useful to have some help from the shadows."

"That's wonderful! I'm so glad," Aurora replied.

Ember held his head a bit higher, looking quite pleased with the praise.

Suddenly, Aurora saw a glimpse of blue hair in the crowd, and she exclaimed, "Falkner! Over here!"

Falkner worked his way through the crowd, and as soon as he came close, Aurora rushed up and hugged him. Ember fumed, and Laine giggled. Scar just chuckled knowingly to himself.

"It's so good to see you!" Aurora exclaimed as she embraced her teacher. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Fledgling," he replied. "I wish I could have been there with you, but you and your friends did a good job without me. I am very, very proud of you."

Aurora blushed with pride. She was happy to see her teacher again, but... something, she wasn't sure what, had changed. She leaned back to look at him. It wasn't that he was any less handsome in her sight, or that she respected and loved him any less. Of course she loved him. He was her teacher and her second father. That was what he was meant to be. Her gaze roved around the room, and she was not entirely surprised to see a familiar face watching her intently from close by. She grinned suddenly.

"Falkner, I want you to say hello to a friend I made," she said, catching his hand and dragging him forwards to make introductions. "Falkner, you probably know Sabrina, right?"

Falkner looked at the lithe young woman with the long dark hair and knowing eyes, and he smiled appreciatively. Sabrina smiled back.

"I can't say I've had the pleasure of a formal introduction," he replied, "though I've heard nothing but good things about her. It is an honor to finally meet in person."

"I have been looking forward to meeting you, as well," Sabrina answered. She gave Aurora a wink, and Aurora slipped away to let the two of them get acquainted.

"Playing matchmaker, are we?" asked Ember. He looked relieved.

Aurora shrugged. "I had a feeling they might get along, that's all."

"Huh," said Laine. "A spymaster and a Psychic. I feel sorry for any kids they might have - they'd never be able to get away with _anything_ with those two for parents."

Aurora giggled. "I don't know. It's not such a bad thing, being Falkner's daughter."

"I'm glad you finally got your head on straight," said Ember.

"And just what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing whatsoever," Ember replied. "Excuse me a minute, I think I see Morty over there, and I need to talk to him..."

He drifted over to where Morty was and whispered a few words into his ear. Morty looked surprised, but he followed Ember away with an expression that wasn't entirely without interest. Laine stared.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Nothing much," Aurora replied. "Ember just wants to offer Morty a job. I think Morty will take it. That will be nice."

"I'll take your word for it!" said Laine with a shrug.

Eventually, Aurora began to feel tired of all the crowds and the fuss, so when Laine wandered away to chat with Bruce, she let her go. Instead, she went outside to the front steps of the building, where she and Scar could sit alone and watch the stars come out.

"This isn't what I thought it would be like when I decided to become a Pokemon trainer," she said. "Alistair was wrong about a lot of things, but... it still isn't a happy job all the time."

Scar preened her hair sympathetically and put a wing around her shoulders. She leaned gently against him. She stayed quiet, thinking a lot about the things Alistair had done that could never be put right, and also about the jealousy and politics among the Gym Leaders, and Ember struggling to juggle his ideals and desires, and about Blaine and his ruined Gym, and the restless ghosts in Lavender Town, and about Giovanni and Claire, and the callous trainer that had left Scar with his distinctive markings. There were a lot of bad things in the world, and even if Aurora became the greatest Gym Leader there ever was, even if she was the Reigning Champion, which she wasn't likely to ever be, she still couldn't put it all right.

And yet...

"So there you are," said a voice, and she looked up to see Falkner walking over to her, with Laine and Ember following him.

"I wanted to get some fresh air," she said, a bit guiltily.

"Nothing wrong with that," Falkner replied. "It's just that I didn't get to say everything I wanted to say before you presented me with a distraction."

"Does that mean you liked her?" asked Aurora.

"She is a fascinating young woman," Falkner replied, "but that is neither here nor there at the moment. I'll talk to her more later. Right now, I want to talk to you, my Fledgling... No, you aren't a fledgling anymore, are you? You've grown up so much since I first met you. You're well on your way to being a fine young woman. And that's a good thing, because you aren't my Apprentice anymore."

"What?" she yelped.

Falkner laughed. "Don't panic! I'm not punishing you. Listen: you know there's been some upheaval in the League lately. It will take ages to get it all straightened out. However, the fact remains that Champion Lance is missing a few cabinet members, and since it takes four people to make up the Elite Four, somebody has to be chosen to fill in the blanks, and, well... it seems Lance is thankful enough to me for the help that I've given him lately that he wants to give me a chance to spread my wings, so to speak. It seems I'm being promoted."

"You're joining the Elite Four?" Aurora exclaimed. "That's wonderful! Congratulations! You'll be good at it."

"I hope to be," said Falkner, smiling modestly. "I'm looking forward to being able to use some of my more powerful Pokemon in official matches. I think I'll enjoy it. However, since a trainer can't be a Gym Leader and one of the Elite Four at the same time, then that means that someone is going to have to take my place at the Gym..."

Aurora began to realize what he was getting at. She began to tremble.

"You don't mean...?"

"I have taught you everything you need to know," Falkner replied. "Your Pokemon are strong enough to handle the challenge. I have absolute faith that you will perform the task admirably. And it just so happens that I have managed to get Lance alone long enough to give me the necessary forms, so all we need is you and me and a couple of witnesses who are established members of the Pokemon League, who I happen to have brought with me. Ember is a high- ranking official and his name will look good on your contract. Laine's not so much so, since she doesn't rank above a Junior Trainer, but... it's not really about how high they rank, is it?"

"No, no, of course not," Aurora stammered. She raised her eyes to look at her two friends, and then lowered them again, not trusting herself not to cry from sheer gratitude and amazement. "There's no one I'd like more."

"Then there's no time like the present," said Falkner. He took out a folded sheet of paper and a pen, and signed his name to it. Then he passed it to Ember and Laine, pointing out where they should witness that he had signed over his title to the undersigned of his own free will, and they both wrote their names on the paper. Then it was passed to Aurora who took the pen with a shaking hand. There were two blank spaces at the very bottom of the page. On one of them, she wrote her name, her old name, the one she'd been born with and had used all her life, and - the minute she signed the second blank, would cease to be her name until the day she chose to sign the title away to someone else. Then she took a deep breath and wrote, for the first time, _Gym Leader Aurora_. She felt very strange. The shadows and the starlight made it feel like a dream. Her knees shook.

Falkner gently removed the paper and pen from her grip and put them away again, and then drew out a bit of metal from his pocket and pressed it into her hand. Her fingers curved around it. It felt cold and solid in her grip, and though she couldn't see it, she knew exactly what it was.

"A Gym Leader should always be ready to give out a Badge when the situation presents itself," he said. "Congratulations. I couldn't ask for more in a successor. You're going to do an excellent job, Gym Leader Aurora."

Scar gave a jubilant cry that echoed in the night and made Aurora clap her hands over her ears, and she almost dropped the Badge. She laughed; there was no mistaking _that_ for a dream. She smiled.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you all!"

"Aw, look at who's a big bad Gym Leader now!" said Laine, giving Aurora a bone- cracking hug. "We knew you'd do it all along."

"Hmph," said Ember, looking as if he were trying not to smile, and not succeeding. "That paper may say you're a Gym Leader, but you still look like the same skinny little Winter-hair to me."

"And you may be a Gym Leader and a Rocket Boss and a Dragon Master and I don't know what else, but you still sound like the same snooty old Fire-top to me," Aurora retorted. "Come on, let's go inside! I want to tell Lapis and Nick and the twins and Sabrina and - and everybody!"

They scampered back into the building, hardly watching where they were putting their feet, Scar crowing excitedly and Laine chattering a mile a minute. Falkner walked in silence, smiling and running his fingers over the folded piece of paper. Aurora and Ember walked side by side, and when she threaded her fingers into his, he gave her a surprised look that melted into a smile. And over all of them, a small Pokemon looked down on them with wide blue eyes. He had lived a long time, and he had seen a lot of bad things that couldn't be put right. But he had seen other things, too, good things that couldn't be changed: family and friends, joy and hope, laughter and love. He was seeing them now, and it made him happy. Humans really were strange and wonderful things. With a tiny giggle, Mew turned somersault or two and vanished into the stars.

**The End**


End file.
